Clashes for democracy<\/p>\n
Chaos seems to be stalking this country as the June general
\nelection approaches. Even though campaign activities by 48
\npolitical parties contesting the elections are not scheduled to
\nstart before May 19, emotions are already high and tempers short
\nin many towns.<\/p>\n
In Jepara, a small town in Central Java, four people were
\nkilled and 12 injured on Friday in campaign-related violence
\ninvolving supporters of two Muslim-based parties -- the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP) and the National Awakening Party (PKB).<\/p>\n
While tension was still high in the usually idyllic town,
\nthere were reports of clashes between supporters of the same
\nparties on Saturday in the regencies of Demak and Pekalongan,
\nalso in Central Java.<\/p>\n
Pekalongan, a traditional stronghold of the PPP, witnessed
\nsmaller clashes between the same rivals in March. A riot also
\nbroke out three weeks ago in nearby Pemalang when PKB held a
\nceremony to declare its presence there. Several people were
\ninjured in the fracas but the police refused to disclose which
\ngroup had attacked the ceremony.<\/p>\n
In March, Yogyakarta also saw a similar incident in which a
\nsupporter of the Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle (PDI
\nPerjuangan) was stabbed to death during a fray with parading PPP
\nsupporters.<\/p>\n
The reports from Jepara, Pekalongan and Pemalang appear to
\ndescribe a struggle for a political stronghold, with the PPP
\napparently trying to safeguard its traditional fortress. The PKB
\nseems to believe that all nooks and crannies of the country are
\nopen to all political parties.<\/p>\n
Actually, this belief would not lead to open clashes if the
\nleaders of the newly created PKB and the well-established PPP
\nmanaged to control the emotions of their followers. Not that we
\nbelieve this is a simple problem, given that many PPP followers
\nin Central Java are members of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), many leaders
\nof which helped set up PKB last year. On the other hand, PPP's
\nCentral Java chapter has long been led by NU activists.<\/p>\n
However, the sudden sprouting of new political parties has led
\nto a tight contest for grassroot support. In this case the
\nsimilarity between the supporters' religious backgrounds has
\nceased to be of any import.<\/p>\n
The unattractive show goes on, and no doubt will turn even
\nmore ugly once all the parties start their campaign activities.
\nAfter all, apart from the one time in 1955, this country has
\nnever known a riot-free electoral campaign.<\/p>\n
The situation may appear gloomier because no workable idea has
\nbeen aired on how to run peaceful polls. To set the first good
\nexample, National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais has
\nsuggested that to prevent their grassroot supporters from
\nclashing, leaders of both warring parties should bury the hatchet
\nin public by embracing and shaking hands on TV.<\/p>\n
It sounds like a good idea, but it is usually sudden, small
\nincidents that ignite a bigger clash. The situation now much
\ndepends on the capability of the police to extinguish the
\npolitical campaign fires as earlier as possible. They should be
\nfollowed by the national General Elections Supervisory Committee
\n-- an official poll watchdog which is entitled to sanction errant
\nparties -- to do its job.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/clashes-for-democracy-1447893297",
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