Irianese endure hardship to cast their votes

Text by Lela E. Madjiah and photos by Mulkan Salmona

They cover long distances, many carrying toddlers and babies, tramping through dense, tropical jungles and across vast swamps, all to cast their ballots. For people in Irian Jaya, particularly those living in remote villages, taking part in the general election means sacrifice. They do it anyway, all in the simple hope that those in power will not forget them.

YETTI, Jayapura (JP): It was an unusually bright and dry morning on Wednesday, May 28. There had been a welcome respite from rain in the past three days. This day, the last batch of Yetti people left their homes for the village of Wembi in Arso district, Jayapura regency, the place they would cast their votes in the general election.

Families walked all the way to Wambers village where a truck waited to transport them to Wembi. It took them a little over three hours to reach Wambers as they traipsed through the thick tropical forest of Irian Jaya. Fathers bore toddlers on their shoulders, mothers carried babies in their arms, while on their backs were slung noken, the traditional bags, containing clothes and food. The walk was made easier because the path was almost dry. The sago swamps were not as deep as they usually are, the mud reaching only ankle level, instead of the usual knee height.

It was not easy for the people of Yetti to leave home for the election. The villagers live in a hamlet close to the border with Papua New Guinea, where members of Organisasi Papua Merdeka (Free Papua Movement -- OPM) are still very active. There were fears that OPM rebels would steal their crops or animals, or burn their houses while they were away.

Fortunately, the hamlet, with a population of only 95, is located close to a security post manned by members of Infantry Battalion 731/Kabaresi. The troops assured the villagers they would guard their houses and take care of their animals during their absence.

The troops also provided them with food to ensure that those left behind would not have to worry about starving. Like most Irianese, the Yetti people still lead a very simple life. Stock- piling is not in their vocabulary. They look for enough food for a day's ration and go hunting only when there is a need.

On Wednesday at 7:45 a.m., a full 45 minutes later than planned, about 40 Yetti, including babies and kids, left their hamlet for Wembi. Only 22 of the hamlet's residents are eligible to vote. They were accompanied by a group of 10 troops of Infantry Battalion 731/Kabaresi, who were responsible for their security during the trip.

Yetti is one of the many hamlets and villages in remote areas of Irian Jaya. The general election poses many problems both for the provincial administration and villagers, as most of the voters live in remote areas, many only accessible by foot. This year, 50 percent of the 3,067 ballot boxes in the province were located in remote areas. Jayapura regency, which had 81,076 voters, had 256 ballot boxes scattered across the area. As it is impossible to provide a ballot box for every hamlet, the election committee usually provides one box for several hamlets grouped under one village management. Hamlet residents then have to make their way to the designated village to vote.

By comparison, the Yetti are lucky. Many other tribespeople have to walk further, sometimes in journeys up to a week, to reach their ballot boxes.

In the 1992 general election, Ures villagers in Lereh district, Jayapura regency, started collecting food for election day a month ahead.

"They cut down a sago tree and carried it with them along the way to the ballot box. On the way, they hunted for additional food, rested, hunted again," said Capt. Gatot S., operations head of Infantry Battalion 731/Kabaresi.

Why are villagers willing to sacrifice their time and energy for something many of them do not even understand? Like most isolated tribes of Irian Jaya, the Yetti are illiterate. Many, the elderly in particular, do not speak Indonesian.

The answer is simple. "By voting, we hope the government will pay more attention to our welfare," said Andreas Jumbori, chief of Yetti hamlet.

He said this year was the second time he and his people took part in the general election.

"We were quite disappointed in the first election (we took part in) in 1992, because nothing has changed since then," said Andreas, 35, the hamlet chief since 1990.

Like most villages in remote areas in the province, the Yetti community is not asking for the impossible. They only want a road to connect their hamlet to the city so that they can sell their farm produce there. They also want a polyclinic and a school. No Yetti kids go to school, and none of the children can read or write.

The Yetti people, who settled in the hamlet in 1989 after living in Papua New Guinea as members of the OPM separatist movement, have repeatedly sent requests to the regent asking for the road, polyclinic and school, Andreas said.

"So far no answer has come," he said.

Worse, no officials of the Jayapura regency or the Arso district have visited them. Only Wembi village head Benny Mekawa, who receives Rp 30,000 a month for his job, pays them a bimonthly visit to give them guidance on matters including health and farming.

With very little attention and help from the regency administration, the villagers rely on infantry troops who pay a regular visit to a makeshift post near their hamlet. In fact, the soldiers perform the function of a civil administration, from teaching them how to farm, how to build a house, how to keep clean and providing them with medication. They also hold classes when there is time.

Members of Battalion 731 also worked hard to make this year's election a success.

"We guarded their houses during their absence, provided them with food for their trip and for those left behind because of old age or illness. We also provided them with shelter and food during their stay at Wembi," said battalion commander Lt.Col. Gatot N.

Gatot's reason for helping was clear-cut.

"They were willing to leave their homes and walk that far to cast their votes. Somebody had to take care of them, and since no one else did, we made it our responsibility," he said.

The question is whether the troops' involvement in the election process interferes with the principles of a free election?

It is difficult to find out the true answer, as the villagers gave mixed responses. Most of them had a uniformed answer that although Armed Forces members helped them use their rights as citizens of this nation, they still retained their liberty to choose any of the three political parties.

Some of them clearly stated that they were voting for the ruling Golkar party.

"Because we have seen their work, we have felt their presence here," said Andreas.

Wembi village head Benny Mekawa shared his sentiments.

"We support the government with only one hope, that the government does not abandon us. That the government helps improve our welfare."

Abas Mekawa, a former OPM commander who is now acting chief of Air Asin hamlet, Arso district, stated that the election was important because it gave people like him the chance to choose their representatives.

"By taking part in the election, we can choose people who are responsible and who will fight for our causes," said Abas.

With that hope in mind, Abas and thousands of other villagers left their homes, walked vast distances and cast their votes on May 29. Voters flocked to the election site in their best clothes. They even dressed up their children and babies for what they believed was a day of celebration.

What if nothing changes after the election?

"We were disappointed last time," Andreas said. "We would be very, very disappointed this time."

It is not merely a question of asking the winner of the election to keep its promises.

"We have our reputations at stake here," Andreas said. "We have encouraged our people to vote, telling them it is important because it will change our lives. But if nothing happens like last time, they will not trust us anymore. They will lose faith in us, their chiefs, and the government."

Do the Yetti truly believe the general election can help change their fate? We may never know if they walked for hours, dragging their toddlers with them, exposing their tiny babies to danger of various types, to cast their votes of their own free will. But if trust no longer exists in any relationship, and in this case between the Yetti and the government, nothing else counts.