Parties wait till Monday deadline<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The General Elections Commission (KPU) is expecting an
\nextra-heavy workload on Monday, as all 24 political
\nparties contesting the 2004 elections will rush to
\nbeat the deadline for registration of legislative
\ncandidates.<\/p>\n
As of 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, no party had turned up to the
\nKPU office on Jl. Imam Bonjol, Central Jakarta, to
\nthe disappointment of the commission's deputy chairman,
\nRamlan Surbakti, who had been waiting for the parties
\nfor almost the whole day.<\/p>\n
Rumor had it that the ruling Indonesian Democratic
\nParty of Struggle (PDI-P) would complete its list of
\nlegislative candidates on Sunday. The party submitted
\non Saturday 213 aspirants from 18 provinces to the
\ncommission, making it the only election contender to
\nhave submitted its legislative candidates, albeit in
\npart.<\/p>\n
Political parties have blamed a variety of difficulties
\nfaced by their legislative candidates in obtaining
\nthe required documents for their failure to submit the
\nnames before the deadline.<\/p>\n
The Golkar Party and the National Awakening Party (PKB)
\nhave complained of difficulty in obtaining bills
\nof health from doctors in recognized hospitals.<\/p>\n
Besides, the complicated process of short-listing candidates
\nhas prompted the parties to delay their
\nregistration with the KPU.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Elections Supervisory Committee
\n(Panwaslu) warned of security concerns that might
\ndisrupt elections in the conflict-prone provinces of
\nNanggro Aceh Darussalam, Maluku, Papua and Central Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
Panwaslu member Rozy Munir said people's skepticism of
\nthe elections, security problems and armed violence
\nwere the result of the proposed elections in Aceh of legislative
\nmembers and the president, where a major
\noffensive against rebels is still under way.<\/p>\n
At least six Aceh regencies -- Aceh Jaya, Pidie, Bireuen,
\nNorth Aceh, Central Aceh and East Aceh -- were areas vulnerable
\nto conflict during the elections, according to Rozy.<\/p>\n
Papua, meanwhile, is currently plagued by controversy
\nover the establishment of new provinces, public
\ndistrust in local government, conflict between local
\npolitical elite groups, ethnic clashes and armed
\nviolence -- problems that Rozy said could jeopardize the
\nelections.<\/p>\n
Papua's regencies\/municipalities of Jayapura, Sentani,
\nMimika and Manokwari were the areas most prone to
\nconflict during next year's elections, he added.<\/p>\n
In Central Sulawesi, the planned establishment of a
\nnew province, the segregation of areas based on ethnicity
\nand religion, and the presence of thousands of
\ndisplaced people could hamper the elections, Rozy
\nsaid. He also gave a reminder about the need for extra
\nprecautions in view of potential conflict in Poso and Morowali
\nduring the elections.<\/p>\n
Segregation of areas by religion and unresolved
\nrefugee problems will also pose a threat to elections
\nin the Maluku capital, Ambon, and Central Maluku
\nregency.<\/p>\n
"Potential conflicts in those provinces
\ncould seriously threaten the success of the 2004
\nelections," Didik Supriyanto, another Panwaslu member
\ntold a media conference held by Panwaslu and the Peace
\nBuilding Institute (ITP).<\/p>\n
He said, for example, in Maluku, a political party
\ndue to hold an election campaign in several
\nMuslim-based areas would have to pass predominantly
\nChristian areas.<\/p>\n
"Therefore, if someone provokes or triggers an issue
\nthat offends another religious community during a
\nrally, there could be a riot," he said.
\nHe added that in Central Sulawesi, if a political party
\nraised the issue of the establishment of a new
\nprovince, it might stimulate violence among local
\npeople.<\/p>\n
Therefore, he said, restrictions during the campaigning
\nperiod must be imposed in conflict-ridden
\nprovinces, such as a ban against mass rallies.<\/p>\n
"Peaceful campaigning must be carried out by political
\nparties, particularly in those areas," he said, adding
\nthat at present he saw parties in those provinces
\nhad a commitment to peace.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Ichsan Malik, Director of the ITP said
\nelections should reconcile rather than trigger conflict.
\n"We do not want Poso part II or Ambon part II to
\noccur as we know the bloody conflicts in both Poso and Ambon
\nbroke out prior to the 1999 elections," he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/parties-wait-till-monday-deadline-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}