Democracy demolished

Democracy demolished

I do believe that the 1945 Constitution covers the right of
every individual in this country to vote the way he or she
desires, and that would be in line with democratic principles.

However, in reality, which is all that matters, instructions
and edicts and goodness knows what else are floating around that
force people to vote one way -- or else.

Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah are busy taking away people's
individual rights, whilst in Aceh province the quest to destroy
the freedom of women continues. Muslims are now prohibited under
Islamic law, or sharia, from choosing a woman leader except in an
emergency. Surely this is an emergency, as clearly freedom and
democracy are being strangled and demolished by religion.

Is sharia law more legally powerful that the 1945 Indonesian
Constitution, and if so, who says it is? If such edicts and
rulings go against the Constitution, then is this any better or
worse than people who support separatism, as both defy the
accepted law of the land. Even the Palembang Muhammadiyah
University has instructed its 528 employees to vote one way or
face sanctions.

That is clearly blackmail, and yet those who defy this
instruction will be labeled traitors -- traitors to what? What
about their constitutional and individual right to vote for who
they want to? Surely the traitor is the man issuing the
instruction, as he has no right whatsoever to interfere. If
Indonesia continues to allow such practices to flourish, then
this country will become a police state terrorized by powerful
people who will eventually take away every single freedom that
exists.

DAVID WALLIS, Medan, North Sumatra