Disarm political parties' security guards: KIPP<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): An independent poll monitor has demanded that
\nsecurity guards of political parties be disarmed to avoid further
\nviolence.<\/p>\n
In a statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Friday,
\nthe Independent Election Monitoring Committee said possession of
\nsharp weapons by the security guards presented \"a potential for
\nconflict\" in the campaign.<\/p>\n
The state security apparatus \"should be proactive in disarming
\nweapons used by the security guards of political parties in
\nsecuring the 1999 campaign\", said Sirra Prayuna, head of KIPP's
\nlegal division.<\/p>\n
Use of arms by civilian security guards is a violation of the
\n1951 law on civilian security, Sirra added.<\/p>\n
The private poll watchdog -- the first of its kind in the
\ncountry -- referred to reports of its members regarding campaigns
\nthis week, in which security guards of Golkar and the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP) were observed with machetes and swords.<\/p>\n
KIPP referred to campaigns in Jakarta, Sukabumi in West Java,
\nPamili and East Pontianak in West Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
On Thursday, five supporters of the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) were wounded in Serang, West
\nJava by martial artists known as the \"Banten Warriors\".<\/p>\n
The victims, including Widodo and his wife Endah, had just
\nattended a campaign event when they passed the local office of
\nthe Golkar Party guarded by the martial artists.<\/p>\n
Although Banten Warriors' leader Tubagus Chassan Sochib
\nattempted to express his apologies, violence almost erupted later
\nin the day when thousands of PDI Perjuangan supporters chased
\nafter people suspected of being members. A Molotov cocktail was
\nthrown at Golkar supporters and its flags were set on fire.<\/p>\n
The official Election Supervisory Committee is investigating
\nthe incident in which a number of vehicles in the PDI Perjuangan
\nconvoy also were reportedly damaged, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
Committee deputy Todung Mulya Lubis said on Friday in Surabaya
\nthat if the related parties involved in such violence were proven
\nguilty, they could be disqualified from campaigning in their
\nscheduled rounds in the concerned area.<\/p>\n
Supporters of PDI Perjuangan vandalized the office and symbols
\nof the Golkar Party in Blitar, East Java.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week Todung said Golkar could be disqualified
\nfrom campaigning in Jakarta following evidence that its security
\nguards carried sharp weapons.<\/p>\n
Todung added violations among parties included verbal
\nharassment by campaigners of other parties, the vandalizing of
\nparty symbols and the obstructing of supporters by those of other
\nparties.<\/p>\n
From Yogyakarta, Atma Jaya University's poll watch committee
\nrevealed various violations involving the use of sharp weapons
\namong a number of parties, Antara reported.<\/p>\n
Todung said other violations were the vandalizing, occupying
\nand burning of political party offices and burning of stages used
\nfor campaigning. He also coordinates the independent Unfrel poll
\nwatch university network. (anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/disarm-political-parties-security-guards-kipp-1447893297",
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