Code of conduct needed to avoid campaign violence<\/p>\n
By Edith Hartanto<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Political observers are making urgent calls for
\nthe establishment of a code of conduct for election campaigning,
\nscheduled for May 15 until June 4, to avoid clashes between
\nsupporters of the 48 poll contestants.<\/p>\n
Miriam Budiardjo and Amir Santoso from the University of
\nIndonesia, Andi A. Mallarangeng from the Hasanuddin University in
\nUjungpandang, South Sulawesi, and Ichlasul Amal of Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity in Yogyakarta separately agreed that, democracy
\nnotwithstanding, 48 parties were too many.<\/p>\n
They also agreed that banning street rallies, while
\nencouraging public debates, would help to curb the possibility of
\nelection-related violence.<\/p>\n
\"The first strategy for... a peaceful poll is to set up a
\njoint code of conduct for three phases: before the elections, the
\nballoting day, and for the period after elections,\" Amir said.<\/p>\n
He said the government should establish an agreement with
\nparty leaders at both provincial and regency levels to decide
\nwhat can and cannot be done in the period around the elections.<\/p>\n
\"It's important for all parties to... agree on the same rules
\nof the game and on the penalties available,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Andi agreed that specific rules have to be set up as it would
\nnot be possible for all 48 parties to stage rallies in such a
\nshort time. \"We used to have only three poll contestants... now,
\nof course, we cannot implement the same campaign arrangement,\"
\nAndi said.<\/p>\n
The recently disbanded Team of Eleven -- which was in charge
\nof selecting poll contestants -- has drafted a set of
\nrecommendations to the future National Elections Committee (KPU),
\nincluding one stating that mass mobilization should be avoided.<\/p>\n
Miriam, who was also on the team, warned that parties must
\naccept defeat gracefully, while Amal said it was more important
\nto boost participation in the June 7 elections.<\/p>\n
The following are some of the experts' suggestions to the
\ngovernment, poll organizers and political parties:<\/p>\n
* A joint code of conduct, which also includes details on
\npenalties.<\/p>\n
* No mass mobilization or rallies; rather, parties can
\ncampaign through public debates in the media.<\/p>\n
* If a dialog is to be conducted in front of a large audience,
\nit should take place in a suburban area to prevent the
\npossibility of unrest and vandalism. In addition, security forces
\nshould be deployed to safeguard the event, Amir said.<\/p>\n
* Parties must encourage their supporters to exercise self
\nrestraint. In the event of unrest, punishment must be applied,
\nAndi said. \"For instance, a party could be disqualified from the
\npoll if its supporters initiated a riot,\" he said. \"Parties must
\nnot wash their hands of these things. Think of this as a football
\ngame with a referee and clear penalties.\"<\/p>\n
* Caution should be used in areas considered to be the
\nstrongholds of certain parties, Amir suggested. In Madura Island
\nin East Java, for instance, there is a \"Kampong PPP (United
\nDevelopment Party)\" and a \"Kampong PDI (Indonesian Democratic
\nParty)\".<\/p>\n
Such labeling should be avoided as it would lead to greater
\ndanger of conflicts in the multi-party elections.<\/p>\n
* The presence of poll monitors and foreign observers should
\nbe arranged in such a way so as to avoid disputes, Andi said.
\n\"It's a matter of space... a polling station is usually a small
\nplace, how can it be crowded by too many (monitors)? So I think
\nthey should take turns in monitoring the polls.\"<\/p>\n
* In addition to party symbols and names, pictures of party
\npresidential candidates must be attached to the balloting paper,
\nAmal said. \"This is important because too many parties cause
\nconfusion,\" he said.<\/p>\n
* Parties must present the public with concrete political
\nprograms, Amal said.<\/p>\n
* Relax. Miriam and Amir noted that to help ease tensions, the
\ngovernment, the public and political parties should remember that
\n\"elections are not a matter of life and death. People have to
\nlearn that losing is normal.\"<\/p>\n
The political observers also recommended special treatment
\nduring elections for areas which have been rocked by unrest
\nrecently.<\/p>\n
For instance, a special election area may be needed in Maluku
\nand its capital of Ambon, according to Amal. \"If the security
\nforces could establish a buffer zone to reduce tension, why not
\ndo the same thing for the elections?\"<\/p>\n
Amal cited the 1955 multi-party elections when many provinces
\nat that time were considered to be strongholds of rebellion and
\nseparatist movements.<\/p>\n
The separatist fighters for the DI\/TII Islamic state, for
\ninstance, ruled provinces such as West Java, Sulawesi, Aceh and
\nSumatra at the time. \"But still in those areas polling was held
\nnormally. So why not now?\"<\/p>\n
Both Amir and Andi agreed on this point.<\/p>\n
\"No matter how small the votes will be (in those areas), their
\naspirations have to be heard. The same thing goes for Banyuwangi,
\nPontianak, Sambas, Aceh and all other areas hit by riots,\" Andi
\nsaid.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/code-of-conduct-needed-to-avoid-campaign-violence-1447893297",
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