'Fiesta of democracy' absent in Aceh districts<\/p>\n
LHOKSEUMAWE, Aceh (Antara): \"Different ponds, different fish;
\ndifferent fields, different grasshoppers,\" so the old adage goes.<\/p>\n
These words of wisdom seem to be reflected in the style of
\ncampaigning adopted by political parties contesting the June 7
\ngeneral election in three districts in Aceh: North Aceh, East
\nAceh and Pidie.<\/p>\n
Even though the last day of the election campaign is drawing
\nnear, supporters of political parties contesting the elections in
\nthese three districts have not met their parties' leaders, a
\ncommon event in other parts of the country during this so-called
\n\"festival of democracy\".<\/p>\n
These three districts, formerly military operation zones, have
\nnot seen party gatherings with party leaders or convoys of
\nvehicles jamming the streets, events which have highlighted the
\nelection campaign across the rest of the country.<\/p>\n
If not for the presence of party flags and banners along a
\nnumber of main thoroughfares, people in North Aceh, East Aceh and
\nPidie would hardly be aware that a general election was fast
\napproaching.<\/p>\n
\"No political parties have campaigned in these three
\ndistricts. So the people in these three districts have not seen
\nmass gatherings or convoys of vehicles,\" the head of the North
\nAceh office of sociopolitical affairs, Marzuki Abdullah, said.<\/p>\n
Even Golkar Party, which in previous election campaigns
\nfeatured popular singers and film stars from Jakarta to mobilize
\nthe masses, has not attempted to campaign here.<\/p>\n
In North Aceh, with a population of some 1 million, only 35 of
\nthe 48 parties contesting the upcoming elections are represented,
\nwhile 22.64 percent of a total 555,154 eligible voters have
\nregistered to vote.<\/p>\n
Political parties in North Aceh, East Aceh and Pidie have not
\nheld rallies during the campaign period because several riots
\nhave rocked the province of Aceh, Indonesia's westernmost.<\/p>\n
Apart from threats from the Free Aceh Movement (GAM), which
\nhas reportedly attempted to foil the elections through
\nintimidation and violence, leaders of political parties in these
\nthree districts also fear for their own safety.<\/p>\n
The burning of the office of the North Aceh branch of Golkar
\nParty -- allegedly a sign of pressure from what the government
\ncalls the Hasan Tiro Security Disturbance Group -- has diminished
\nthe enthusiasm of political parties in the district.<\/p>\n
\"It is true that GAM has never disturbed a large rally during
\nan election campaign but the leaders of political parties have
\ndecided not to put up a show of force like in other areas of
\nIndonesia,\" Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
Two weeks ago, unknown persons attacked supporters of the
\nUnited Development Party (PPP) and the Muslim Community Party
\n(PUI) in Teunom, West Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"Two trucks carrying supporters of these two parties were
\nstopped on the way to a rally. The passengers were forced to get
\ndown and then the trucks were set on fire by an unidentified
\ngroup of people,\" Marzuki said.<\/p>\n
Admission<\/p>\n
Commander of Military Region I\/Bukit Barisan Maj. Gen. A
\nGaffar said three of 12 districts in Aceh were unsafe for
\npolitical parties to hold street rallies, therefore parties'
\ndecision not to campaign in these districts was considered
\nappropriate.<\/p>\n
\"Parties stay away from campaigning not because of any
\nprohibition or because of the absence of a security guarantee
\nfrom local security apparatus, but rather because of their own
\nconsiderations,\" he said in Lhokseumawe.<\/p>\n
He also said that the number of registered voters in these
\nthree districts was much smaller compared to previous elections.
\nIn North Aceh, 12.5 percent of eligible voters have registered,
\nin Pidie 13 percent have registered and in East Aceh 60 percent
\nof eligible voters have registered.<\/p>\n
Voter registration in East Aceh has been more successful than
\nin North Aceh and Pidie, while in the other districts of Aceh
\nvoter registration has proceeded with few problems.<\/p>\n
\"It must be admitted that three of the 12 districts in Aceh
\nhave a poor security situation. These are North Aceh, Pidie and
\nEast Aceh,\" Gaffar said.<\/p>\n
In previous elections, campaigns in these three districts took
\nplace in the same manner as they did in the other districts of
\nAceh, while the political consciousness of the residents of the
\nthree districts was relatively higher than residents in other
\ndistricts, he said.<\/p>\n
Chief of Aceh Police Col. Djuharnus Wiradinata said some time
\nago that provocation had intensified in the region with a view to
\nfoil the upcoming polls.<\/p>\n
More rural administration offices and police stations in these
\nthree districts have been burned, evidence of attempts to provoke
\nviolence in the region and cause insecurity in Aceh, he said.<\/p>\n
\"These acts of arson must have been committed by people who do
\nnot wish to see the Acehnese live in peace,\" he said.<\/p>\n
To ensure security so the community can live in peace, Aceh
\nPolice have readied over 8,000 members of the police, military
\nand militia to safeguard polling booths in the province.<\/p>\n
Djuharnus said the police would be assisted by crack riot
\ntroops, all in an effort to bring peace and security to the
\ncommunity.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fiesta-of-democracy-absent-in-aceh-districts-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}