Democracy demolished<\/p>\n
I do believe that the 1945 Constitution covers the right of
\nevery individual in this country to vote the way he or she
\ndesires, and that would be in line with democratic principles.<\/p>\n
However, in reality, which is all that matters, instructions
\nand edicts and goodness knows what else are floating around that
\nforce people to vote one way -- or else.<\/p>\n
Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah are busy taking away people's
\nindividual rights, whilst in Aceh province the quest to destroy
\nthe freedom of women continues. Muslims are now prohibited under
\nIslamic law, or sharia, from choosing a woman leader except in an
\nemergency. Surely this is an emergency, as clearly freedom and
\ndemocracy are being strangled and demolished by religion.<\/p>\n
Is sharia law more legally powerful that the 1945 Indonesian
\nConstitution, and if so, who says it is? If such edicts and
\nrulings go against the Constitution, then is this any better or
\nworse than people who support separatism, as both defy the
\naccepted law of the land. Even the Palembang Muhammadiyah
\nUniversity has instructed its 528 employees to vote one way or
\nface sanctions.<\/p>\n
That is clearly blackmail, and yet those who defy this
\ninstruction will be labeled traitors -- traitors to what? What
\nabout their constitutional and individual right to vote for who
\nthey want to? Surely the traitor is the man issuing the
\ninstruction, as he has no right whatsoever to interfere. If
\nIndonesia continues to allow such practices to flourish, then
\nthis country will become a police state terrorized by powerful
\npeople who will eventually take away every single freedom that
\nexists.<\/p>\n
DAVID WALLIS, Medan, North Sumatra<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/democracy-demolished-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }