Disarm political parties' security guards: KIPP
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)