Locals protest unfair candidacy

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)