Disarm political parties' security guards: KIPP
JAKARTA (JP): An independent poll monitor has demanded that security guards of political parties be disarmed to avoid further violence.
In a statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Friday, the Independent Election Monitoring Committee said possession of sharp weapons by the security guards presented "a potential for conflict" in the campaign.
The state security apparatus "should be proactive in disarming weapons used by the security guards of political parties in securing the 1999 campaign", said Sirra Prayuna, head of KIPP's legal division.
Use of arms by civilian security guards is a violation of the 1951 law on civilian security, Sirra added.
The private poll watchdog -- the first of its kind in the country -- referred to reports of its members regarding campaigns this week, in which security guards of Golkar and the United Development Party (PPP) were observed with machetes and swords.
KIPP referred to campaigns in Jakarta, Sukabumi in West Java, Pamili and East Pontianak in West Kalimantan.
On Thursday, five supporters of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) were wounded in Serang, West Java by martial artists known as the "Banten Warriors".
The victims, including Widodo and his wife Endah, had just attended a campaign event when they passed the local office of the Golkar Party guarded by the martial artists.
Although Banten Warriors' leader Tubagus Chassan Sochib attempted to express his apologies, violence almost erupted later in the day when thousands of PDI Perjuangan supporters chased after people suspected of being members. A Molotov cocktail was thrown at Golkar supporters and its flags were set on fire.
The official Election Supervisory Committee is investigating the incident in which a number of vehicles in the PDI Perjuangan convoy also were reportedly damaged, Antara reported.
Committee deputy Todung Mulya Lubis said on Friday in Surabaya that if the related parties involved in such violence were proven guilty, they could be disqualified from campaigning in their scheduled rounds in the concerned area.
Supporters of PDI Perjuangan vandalized the office and symbols of the Golkar Party in Blitar, East Java.
Earlier this week Todung said Golkar could be disqualified from campaigning in Jakarta following evidence that its security guards carried sharp weapons.
Todung added violations among parties included verbal harassment by campaigners of other parties, the vandalizing of party symbols and the obstructing of supporters by those of other parties.
From Yogyakarta, Atma Jaya University's poll watch committee revealed various violations involving the use of sharp weapons among a number of parties, Antara reported.
Todung said other violations were the vandalizing, occupying and burning of political party offices and burning of stages used for campaigning. He also coordinates the independent Unfrel poll watch university network. (anr)