Muslim party tensions worry students<\/p>\n
SEMARANG (JP): Students at Diponegoro University have conveyed
\ntheir concerns that a number of Muslim-oriented political parties
\nstill practice name calling and trade accusations.<\/p>\n
Secretary of the Family of Diponegoro University Students, M.
\nSubekti, said on Monday the party executives were to blame for
\nany continued friction.<\/p>\n
In Jepara on April 30, four died and a dozen were injured in a
\nclash involving supporters of the United Development Party (PPP)
\nand the National Awakening Party (PKB)<\/p>\n
The family, Subekti said, urges parties, particularly in
\nCentral Java, to prevent the possibility of clashes by being wise
\nin their addresses to audiences.<\/p>\n
Cholil Bisri of PKB acknowledged the tendency of party leaders
\nto become passionate in their speeches and said the party had
\nurged speechmakers to provide \"rational and ethical\" political
\neducation in their speeches.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, crowds wearing symbols of the United Development
\nParty burned down a house owned by PKB founder Fatoni in Kudus.<\/p>\n
The deputy secretary of PKB's Kudus branch, Abdullah Zaeni,
\nsaid crowds also damaged hundreds of PKB symbols along the roads.<\/p>\n
\"Only a day before, party representatives in Kudus signed an
\nagreement to ensure peace and order and avoid clashes and
\ndestruction before and during campaigns and on election day,\"
\nZaeni said.<\/p>\n
Also on Monday, a private poll-watch group of Sebelas Maret
\nUniversity (UNS) in Surakarta announced its findings that the
\nGolkar Party had attempted to buy votes.<\/p>\n
Coordinator of the Election Monitoring Working Group, Teguh
\nSupriyadi, said Golkar was found to have paid people Rp 25,000
\neach to attend its precampaign activities in the Sruweng district
\nof Kebumen regency.<\/p>\n
Earlier reports also mentioned money politics practiced by
\nother parties.<\/p>\n
Despite an earlier statement by parties that they agree to the
\nappeal of Minister of Defense and Security\/Indonesian Military
\nCommander Gen. Wiranto that all parties stop precampaign
\nactivities, several parties conducted various campaign activities
\non Monday.<\/p>\n
Such activities have included the familiarizing of party
\nsymbols, cadre meetings, religious gatherings and declarations of
\nparty chapters.<\/p>\n
The agreement was reached on May 11 following the military's
\nrevelation that at least 10 people had been killed and 50 injured
\nin 33 party clashes since March. However, party leaders were not
\npresent when the agreement was reached in Bali. It was attended
\nby authorities, including Wiranto.<\/p>\n
In Sumenep, Madura, a member of the advisory board of the
\nPeople's Sovereignty Party (PDR), Asmuni, said after a branch
\ndeclaration that the party would not sue those accusing the party
\nof abusing state facilities.<\/p>\n
The Urban Poor Consortium, for instance, has charged that the
\nMinistry of Cooperatives and Small Enterprises, led by Adi
\nSasono, had been abused to favor the party. Adi has refuted the
\ncharges, adding that the party is abusing social safety funds and
\ncredit to farmers.<\/p>\n
Antara reported from Bandung, West Java, on Monday that
\npolitical party leaders issued a pledge for orderly elections at
\nthe start of the Peaceful Election Carnival. Similar events were
\nheld on Sunday in Jakarta and Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday in Yogyakarta, the 48 parties contesting the polls
\nare slated to join a \"sympathetic rally\" in which prizes will be
\ngiven to the most alluring party. The event is being held by
\nparties and the provincial elections committee.<\/p>\n
Another bid for peaceful elections was held Monday in
\nYogyakarta by leaders of five religions. They signed a statement
\nto help prevent respective followers from provoking one another.
\nIt was initiated by the Brotherhood of Religious Communities and
\nwas witnessed by Governor Sultan Hamengkubuwono X.<\/p>\n
In Jayapura, Irian Jaya, the provincial election committee
\nsaid that as of Monday, ballot papers had only reached Manokwari
\nand Merauke regencies, and that those for the House of
\nRepresentatives were missing. More than 100 of 173 districts are
\naccessible only by sea and air, and election officials feared
\npolls would fail to take place given further delay of ballot
\npapers.<\/p>\n
Antara also reported from Banda Aceh that Abdurrahman Wahid,
\nfounder of the National Awakening Party, is slated to be the
\nfirst campaigner in the province on May 19.<\/p>\n
A number of regencies worst hit by the military operations of
\n1989 to 1998 are said to have barely reached 20 percent of their
\neligible voter registration. (har\/44\/34\/anr)<\/p>",
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