Demonstrators protest Golkar's illicit campaign
JAKARTA (JP): Around 100 people staged a demonstration at the House of Representatives yesterday, demanding that the existing five laws on political activities be revoked and the ruling Golkar's illicit campaigns stopped.
The protesters, calling themselves members of the Democratic People's Union which represents laborers, students and farmers from Jakarta and several other major cities in Java, said that the "yellownization" campaign being carried out by Golkar should be immediately stopped.
Yellow is the color of Golkar members' uniforms. Members of the other two existing political parties, the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) respectively wear green and red uniforms.
Under the Indonesian laws, political organizations may go on campaign about two weeks prior to the election day.
The demonstrators yesterday sang songs, read poems and displayed banners, some of which read "People need democratic election" and "No. 3 of the 1985 Law is anti-democracy", as they staged their two-hour protest which ended peacefully.
All the protesters were received at the main conference hall by members of the House who represent PDI.
"The government has obviously dominated the composition of the general election committee", the Union's statement said, referring to one of the laws issued in 1985 regarding political parties and Golkar, which calls itself a "grouping" although it functions like a party.
The other four laws the protesters demanded be eliminated were on general elections, on the composition and position of the House of Representatives, on referendums and on mass organizations.
"The regulation allowing only three political parties in Indonesia is clearly against the 1945 Constitution which guarantees our freedom of speech and expression", yelled one of the protesters.
Not conductive
The demonstrators, demanding that a new party be set up, said the present political climate is not conductive to democracy, as people in rural areas are already influenced by the "yellownization" campaign to vote for Golkar.
According to them, the emasculation of people's rights to express ideas and to vote originated from the five political laws of 1985, which they complained only gave privileges to Golkar.
Most of the protesters who came from Central Java complained how "yellownization" had been spread in the region.
"In my hometown Brebes (Central Java), tree trunks, courtyards and other public facilities were painted yellow", said the demonstration coordinator, Yuli Eko, adding that in some villages wives of civil servants even encouraged the public to use the yellow color as often as possible at every opportunity.
"It looks trivial, but it has a great impact on the people's minds on what political organizations to choose in the coming 1997 general election," he added.
Earlier in August some 300 people staged a peaceful rally to protest against Golkar's "illicit campaign in violation of the electoral laws".
After two hours of demonstrating, the protesters were received by the House members from the PDI faction led by Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, with members Sabam Sirait, Aberson M. Sihaloho, Nana Mulyana, Popo Sunadar Harun, Sukowaluyo, Wiyanjono, Marcel Beding, and Royani Haminullah.
Soetardjo said Sirait, Aberson, and Sukowaluyo themselves took part in the 1985 law making process.
"The Indonesian Democratic Party has been trying to alter the five laws but in fact our efforts have always been blocked by the dominant factions," Sirait said.
During the meeting the legislators told the demonstrators that they would work together to stop any violation in electoral laws.(03)