Abduction claims from poll watcher

Abduction claims from poll watcher

BANDARLAMPUNG, Lampung: A poll monitoring volunteer was abducted early Tuesday by four unidentified men who sought "cooperation" to beat main opposition parties, Antara reported on Wednesday.

The volunteer from the Rectors Forum, who declined to be named, said he was released unharmed two hours after the initial abduction.

The abductors -- one of whom the volunteer alleged was a member of the military police -- seized his vest, personal documents and monitoring forms, the volunteer said when reporting his kidnapping with Bandarlampung Legal Aid Institute.

The activist said he was approached by several people after he monitored ballot counting at a polling place late Monday night. The men, whom he described as "very friendly", took him out for dinner.

He said they then drove him around the town in their car and asked him to cooperate in thwarting the chances of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Justice Party (PK), the National Awakening Party (PKB) and the United Development Party (PPP).

He said the abductors had not put the Golkar Party on the list, because the alleged abductors had said "the party would lose the elections anyway".

The volunteer claimed his abductors were angry when he refused to cooperate, rejecting their offers of money. He said they subsequently dumped him in front of a hotel.