KPU calls for nonviolence during elections

KPU calls for nonviolence during elections

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The General Elections Commission (KPU) is completing the draft of
a code of ethics for political parties that underscores the need
for election candidates to maintain peace.

The code also prohibits rallies beyond the official campaign
period between March 11 and April 1, 2004 and violence against
the press. It encourages parties to respect KPU decisions and to
show tolerance toward rival supporters.

At least three parties confirmed their approval of several
points of the code, but several new parties demanded flexibility
by asking time to introduce themselves to the public before the
official campaign starts.

The United Development Party (PPP), which agreed to the
principle of nonviolence, rejected the demand for extra time to
hold public gathering outside the official campaign period.

"We agree that parties must not commit violence in any
activities and the presence of a task force is to ensure that our
supporters will behave," Chozin Chumaidy, PPP deputy secretary
general, told the Jakarta Post.

"But, public gatherings before the campaign period are
unacceptable. I think parties have done enough to introduce
themselves to the public, and now it is time to educate
supporters, for example, on how to punch ballot papers".

The Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) and the United Democratic
Nationhood Party (PPDK) expressed their support for violence-free
elections.

But they complained about the limited time allowed to
introduce themselves to the public.

"If we want to recruit executives in villages where we lack
members, we have no choice but to hold public gatherings to make
people aware of us," Suswono of PKS said.

"This public socialization is necessary for small parties."

According to him, such a campaign should be allowed in a more
low-key manner than outdoor public forums.

PPDK secretary-general Rivai Pulungan agreed that introducing
a party to the public ahead of the campaign period was necessary
to gain support.

"We are against rallies outside the campaign period as certain
big parties have done, but we still need to make the public aware
of our presence before the campaign period," he said.

He said the party had approached community leaders to join its
board of executives to help win adequate support," he said.

He said parties should be basically allowed to carry out
activities ahead of the campaign period without any fear of being
charge with violating the Election Law.

So far, most of the 24 parties have expressed their support
for the code of ethics.

On another occasion, KPU announced that 163 more regional
representatives council (DPD) aspirants passed their
administrative and factual verifications, thus they would be able
to contest next year's elections.

KPU member Mulyana W. Kusumah said the DPD hopefuls came from
five provinces: Papua, West Kalimantan, West Nusa Tenggara,
North Sulawesi and Southeast Sulawesi.

South Sulawesi's Regional Elections Commission (KPUD) is now
the only provincial chapter of KPU that has not submitted the
list of candidates.

The KPUD in South Sulawesi remains split in determining the
fate of three candidates -- AA Baramuli, Tanri Abeng and Beddu
Amang, who have resided outside the province for a long time. The
law requires a DPD candidate to have lived in a province they
will represent for three consecutive years before their
registration.