Children banned from election campaigns : Bachtiar

Children banned from election campaigns : Bachtiar

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Anyone found to have involved children in the upcoming
election campaigns will be subject to a maximum five-year prison
term or a Rp 100 million (US$11.4 million) fine, Minister of
Social Affairs Bachtiar Chamsyah said.

The minister, addressing the opening of the Children's
Congress in Yogyakarta on Wednesday, was referring to the 2002
Law on Child Protection.

"The law firmly bans the involvement of children in political
activities," Bachtiar said, as quoted by Antara.

Past elections saw many children involved in campaign
activities, he said, while article 15 of the prevailing law
ensures protection of children from involvement in political
activities, armed conflict, riots and events containing violence
and in war.

Twenty-four political parties will campaign next month prior
to the April 5 elections.

In campaigns "we often hear speeches that incite hostility
among the participants", Bachtiar said.

Given the explicit protection of children from political
activities, the minister said all parties should help monitor the
involvement of children in political activities.

Children should be either playing or studying, the minister
added.

Also in Yogyakarta, it was reported that over 7,000
handicapped citizens could lose their right to vote as they were
not registered as voters.

Detik.com reported that the Center for Improving Qualified
Activity in the Life of People with Disabilities (Ciqal) revealed
that of the at least 23,000 handicapped people in the province,
only 15,789 had been registered.

"They failed to be registered because of the discriminative
attitude of the officials, only because the officials felt it was
difficult for them to communicate," Miko S. of Ciqal said after
meeting with councillors. Many of the handicapped had hearing or
speech disabilities.

"This is highly unfair," Miko said.

Ciqal chairwoman Nuning Suryatiningsih said that facilities
for the disabled should be provided so that they could practice
their rights as citizens.

"The disabled are not treated as subjects," she said, leading
to marginalization of their rights and roles in society. She said
Ciqal was planning to hold an election simulation for the
disabled in the town square on March 7.

To avoid confusion for voters and officials, she added the
international symbol of the handicapped should be installed where
necessary in polling stations.