Clashes for democracy

Chaos seems to be stalking this country as the June general election approaches. Even though campaign activities by 48 political parties contesting the elections are not scheduled to start before May 19, emotions are already high and tempers short in many towns.

In Jepara, a small town in Central Java, four people were killed and 12 injured on Friday in campaign-related violence involving supporters of two Muslim-based parties -- the United Development Party (PPP) and the National Awakening Party (PKB).

While tension was still high in the usually idyllic town, there were reports of clashes between supporters of the same parties on Saturday in the regencies of Demak and Pekalongan, also in Central Java.

Pekalongan, a traditional stronghold of the PPP, witnessed smaller clashes between the same rivals in March. A riot also broke out three weeks ago in nearby Pemalang when PKB held a ceremony to declare its presence there. Several people were injured in the fracas but the police refused to disclose which group had attacked the ceremony.

In March, Yogyakarta also saw a similar incident in which a supporter of the Indonesian Democratic Party for Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) was stabbed to death during a fray with parading PPP supporters.

The reports from Jepara, Pekalongan and Pemalang appear to describe a struggle for a political stronghold, with the PPP apparently trying to safeguard its traditional fortress. The PKB seems to believe that all nooks and crannies of the country are open to all political parties.

Actually, this belief would not lead to open clashes if the leaders of the newly created PKB and the well-established PPP managed to control the emotions of their followers. Not that we believe this is a simple problem, given that many PPP followers in Central Java are members of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), many leaders of which helped set up PKB last year. On the other hand, PPP's Central Java chapter has long been led by NU activists.

However, the sudden sprouting of new political parties has led to a tight contest for grassroot support. In this case the similarity between the supporters' religious backgrounds has ceased to be of any import.

The unattractive show goes on, and no doubt will turn even more ugly once all the parties start their campaign activities. After all, apart from the one time in 1955, this country has never known a riot-free electoral campaign.

The situation may appear gloomier because no workable idea has been aired on how to run peaceful polls. To set the first good example, National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais has suggested that to prevent their grassroot supporters from clashing, leaders of both warring parties should bury the hatchet in public by embracing and shaking hands on TV.

It sounds like a good idea, but it is usually sudden, small incidents that ignite a bigger clash. The situation now much depends on the capability of the police to extinguish the political campaign fires as earlier as possible. They should be followed by the national General Elections Supervisory Committee -- an official poll watchdog which is entitled to sanction errant parties -- to do its job.