Military presence 'hurts' Aceh poll process<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The military presence in the troubled province
\nof Aceh has created a climate of fear and hindered the election
\nprocess, a private poll monitor said on Monday.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Poll Watch Network (JAPPIN) said in a statement
\nresidents were reluctant to register for the elections due to the
\nheavy military presence at voter registration booths.<\/p>\n
\"In Pidie and North Aceh, military personnel guard voter
\nregistration booths at government offices so people are
\nafraid... they are still traumatized by the military's
\nrepressive measures (during a decade-long operation to quell the
\nseparatist movement),\" JAPPIN chairman Marzuki A.M. said in a
\nstatement.<\/p>\n
Pidie, North Aceh and East Aceh were the three regencies most-
\naffected by a decade of military operations aimed at quelling the
\nFree Aceh separatist movement. The operations were only halted
\nlast year.<\/p>\n
The organization called on the government to remove military
\npersonnel from the areas.<\/p>\n
\"JAPPIN calls on the Indonesian Military and the police to
\npull out troops from Aceh so the Acehnese will be able to
\nparticipate in the electoral process without fear,\" the statement
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Acehnese have demanded the right to determine their future
\nthrough a referendum, a demand which has grown in strength since
\nsecurity forces opened fire on protesters earlier this month,
\nkilling 41.<\/p>\n
Resentment against the military and the government in Jakarta
\nhas also risen as revelations of widespread human rights abuses
\ncommitted by soldiers during military operations have come to the
\nsurface.<\/p>\n
A number of violent incidents aimed at political parties
\ncampaigning in Aceh have occurred since the campaign began on May
\n19. For example, a group calling for the boycott of elections in
\nthe province set two cars belonging to supporters of the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP) and the Islamic Community Party (PUI) on
\nfire on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Reuters quoted student activist Aguswandi as saying on Monday
\nthat by going ahead with the elections, the government was
\ncourting disaster. He said low voter registration proved the
\nAcehnese did not want elections in the province.<\/p>\n
\"Aceh is not ready for elections. The military is still very
\nstrong here and so are the feelings of trauma among the people.
\nIt still hurts,\" the secretary-general of Student Solidarity for
\nthe People (SMUR), Aguswandi, 22, said.<\/p>\n
In March, SMUR deployed thousands of students on the streets
\nof the provincial capital of Banda Aceh when President B.J.
\nHabibie visited the capital to apologize for past human rights
\nabuses committed by the military.<\/p>\n
\"We say boycott the elections. The elections come from the
\ncentral government. We don't believe in the central government,\"
\nAguswandi said. \"Freedom will give us back our self-esteem.\"<\/p>\n
Across the country, the campaign has been accompanied by
\nantagonistic feelings directed not only toward Golkar's
\nnomination of Habibie as its presidential candidate, but also
\ntoward the party itself.<\/p>\n
Golkar flags and banners have been torn down and burned
\nthroughout Java, including in the East Java cities of Surabaya
\nand Madiun.<\/p>\n
Golkar officials allege the people who vandalized Golkar's
\nflags and banners wore shirts from the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and the National Awakening
\nParty (PKB).<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Madura office of the
\nIndependent Elections Monitoring Committee, Faruk Abdillah, said
\n1,000 ballots which had already been punched were discovered in
\nSumenep regency.<\/p>\n
\"On all of the ballots, Golkar Party was the one punched,\" he
\nsaid. (30\/45\/nur\/byg)<\/p>",
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