Locals protest unfair candidacy

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya: Indigenous people of Jayawijaya regency who have been nominated by Golkar for the provincial legislature have lodged a protest over what they said was the party's unfair selection of candidates.

Bambang Susanto of the Yali tribe questioned Golkar's decision to put six indigenous candidates outside the top three in spite of the fact that the regency supporters won Golkar a record high nine seats in the provincial legislature in the 1997 elections.

"Why didn't Golkar place Jayawijaya people in the top five? If we manage to win only three seats, Golkar supporters in Jayawijaya won't be represented," Bambang said.

The top three were given to Golkar provincial chairman Nathaniel Kaiway, who is Irianese but a Wamena native, Demas Paty from Ambon, Maluku, and Paulus Sumino, a Javanese.

In a more radical show of protest, another Golkar member, Musa Mabel, quit the party. "We have so many potential cadres, but Golkar did not take them into account and opted to choose outsiders," Musa said. (34)