Central and East Java identified as election hot spots

Central and East Java identified as election hot spots

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) have identified
Pekalongan in Central Java and Madura island in East Java as
potential dangerous spots during the election campaign, which
kicks off tomorrow, and the May 29 poll.

Some military officers have even conceded that the provinces
of Central Java and East Java are areas that need "special
attention", given the recent outburst of violence involving
supporters of the three political parties.

East Java Police said "the dangerous spots are spread
throughout the province" because of their remoteness from the
capital, the people's temperament, or their history of political
discontent. Police officers will safeguard polling in areas
considered to have greater risks.

Armed Forces Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan
Hamid recently blamed the sporadic clashes on intensifying
competition among political supporters. Political observer Afan
Gaffar concurred, and attributed the heating up of situation to
Golkar's aggressive campaign to regain lost votes in several
regions in Java.

The lecturer at the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University
said Golkar's total votes decreased by 5 percent on average
during the 1992 elections. In the 1987 elections, Golkar gained
73.8 percent of the votes, while in 1992 the group gained 68
percent.

Golkar's votes decreased by 12 percent in three main regions:
Central Java, East Java and Yogyakarta.

"It's a tradition of Golkar, that if it lost votes (in a
region) it would go all out to regain them. That's what Golkar
has been doing for this year's election," Afan said.

"No day will pass without efforts being made to mobilize
support," he said, quoting Golkar chairman Harmoko's pledge after
he was elected in 1993.

The painting of public objects in the yellow Golkar color,
known as "yellowization", is one example of Golkar's relentless
campaign to regain lost votes. Television and radio stations have
also run daily footage of Harmoko's activities with Golkar
cadres.

But the task of coordinating the campaign to win the hearts of
the people has been entrusted to another influential Golkar
leader, Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, President Soeharto's eldest
daughter.

Hardiyanti, better known as Tutut, has been campaigning to win
the support of the people, accompanied by Abdurrahman Wahid, the
chairman of the 30 million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem
organization.

One of the effects of such an aggressive campaign is
repulsion. The "yellowization" campaign might have been
considered a success outside of Java.

But in Java, the United Development Party (PPP) chose to
retaliate. Seven local branches of PPP in Surakarta, organized by
local PPP leader Mudrick S. Sangidu, filed a lawsuit against
Governor Suwardi who spearheaded the yellowization campaign in
Central Java.

More violent resistance took place in Pekalongan and
Temanggung, in Central Java. PPP supporters became enraged when
local authorities removed their banners and replaced them with
Golkar's. The incident culminated in a riot targeting people of
Chinese descent and their property.

Riswandha Imawan, another political observer from Yogyakarta,
had earlier warned the "yellowization" campaign would backfire
and harm Golkar.

Afan said the unrest in Central Java would not have taken
place had the local authorities made an effort to understand the
social, economic and political background of the local
communities.

"If they had understood, they wouldn't have tried to force
people to support Golkar. Before the New Order administration,
Central Java was the stronghold of Masyumi and NU," he said,
referring to the now defunct Islamic parties.

In the early years of the New Order administration under
President Soeharto, Central Java was considered the stronghold of
PPP.

"The economic policies of this administration had harmed the
interests of the community of santri," Afan said, referring to
students and managers of pesantren (Islamic boarding schools).

Conflict

Golkar's campaign to regain lost votes in Central Java might
have met with resistance from PPP supporters, but was boosted by
the protracted conflict within the Indonesian Democratic Party
(PDI).

Chairman Soerjadi repeatedly said the minority party was ready
for the general election. But Soerjadi, who ousted Megawati
Soekarnoputri in a government-backed congress in Medan last year,
has often failed to hold open meetings with his supporters.

In Wonogiri, Central Java, a group of Megawati supporters not
only prevented the planned meeting but also tried to attack him.
Soerjadi escaped unhurt, but the cars of his supporters were
vandalized.

Megawati loyalists have also chosen non-violent means of
protest. Various chapters and branches, especially in Yogyakarta
and Central Java, have taken legal action against Soerjadi's
supporters and have been filing suit after suit.

Rustriningsih, chief of the Kebumen branch of PDI, and a
Megawati supporter, said that even if the court eventually ruled
in favor of Soerjadi's group, "the public will know who it is
that really represents the aspirations of PDI".

"The court sessions in various districts in the country are
beneficial for Megawati. This is political education, and the
mass media exposure on our activities help us maintain our
existence," Rustriningsih said.

Rustriningsih added that if Megawati's group was still left
unrepresented, her supporters would make their vote invalid.

This does not mean that it has been easy for Megawati
supporters. Authorities have been tightening their grip on the
group, dismissing the existence of Megawati supporters in various
regions and using force to disperse demonstrations.

Earlier this month in Yogyakarta, security personnel dispersed
demonstrations in support of Megawati and called for a boycott of
the election. The security personnel also arrested 30 students
and activists. Several of them will be tried and may face up to
seven years of imprisonment.

Intolerable

Local military chief Col. Abdul Rahman Gaffar said the
demonstrators were arrested because they violated the law. "The
activists had become intolerable. They had influenced people to
boycott the general election and become Golput," he said.

Literally meaning "white group", Golput are people who either
abstain from voting or make their vote invalid.

Political observer Arief Budiman, who is also considered a
Golput leader, said the state apparatus had increasingly used
strong-arm tactics to ensure victory for Golkar.

"It's like the general election, which the government
organizes, has to be a success, even at the expense of many
people who don't agree with it, including the Megawati camp who
still have grassroot support," he said.

He said the heavy-handed stance of the government would force
more people to protest by either abstaining or making their vote
invalid.

In previous elections, only educated urbanites boycotted
polls, he said. "This time, the common people will also become
Golput out of their disappointment over the situation in PDI," he
said.

Afan Gaffar said the conflict in PDI would mean an increase in
votes for Golkar. He predicted Golkar would gain between 73
percent and 75 percent of the votes, while PDI would only gain 10
percent of the votes.

"The number of abstainers will increase significantly, but not
more than 10 percent of the total number of eligible voters," he
said.

Arief Budiman said the government had dismissed the increase
in the number of abstainers as "insignificant". But "the increase
shows that the elections haven't been conducted in a fair manner
and haven't satisfied people's aspirations. Such elections are a
failure," he said. (team)