Maluku locals stage protest over election

M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon

Protesters scuffled with police in a demonstration by around 500 residents of West Seram regency outside the Maluku General Elections Commission in Ambon on Monday when Ahmad Rahanta, the protest coordinator, was apprehended by the police.

Upset protesters, who tried to free Ahmad, blocked the police patrol car that carried Ahmad, causing a traffic jam on the city's main street Jl. AY Patty.

During the protest some people also set car tires on fire in the street, startling residents who were still traumatized by previous conflicts in the city.

"I thought there was a building on fire in the street seeing the black smoke," said a resident, Feri Attamimi.

The protest started at 11 a.m. with protesters calling themselves the Alliance of Law and Democracy Enforcers arriving at the commission's office to air their dissatisfaction over the West Seram Election Commission plenary meeting result which allowed candidate Soebeno to contest in the second round of the regency election, the date for which has not yet been set.

Soebeno is suspected of submitting a forged school diploma from STM 75 high school in the Central Java town of Purwokerto and had been named suspect by the police following a background check with the school, but his arrest was suspended. In the diploma, it is stated that he graduated in 1970 while the school was set up in 1971.

Soebeno was the strongest candidate likely to win the election in the regency following the first round on June 23. Only two out of the six regental candidates will contest in the runoff.

"Soebeno is clearly guilty of using a fake diploma. Why can he still compete in the election?" yelled Ahmad Rahanta, the protest's coordinator.

He charged that Soebeno, who is supported by the Golkar Party, could enter the runoff due to the use of "old ways". "This is the New Order's way of using all means possible to win. We, West Seram residents, will reject him," Ahmad said.

The protesters demanded the Maluku governor and Maluku General Elections Commission sort out the election in West Seram regency.

But after getting no response from the commission members, the protesters became angry and tried to break through the police cordon while threatening to burn down the commission office.

"There's been commission offices set on fire. Don't let it happen in Maluku," said Ibrahim Ruhunussa, a protester.

The protesters started to cool down when chief of Sirimau Police, First Insp. La Ode Muhammad told them that none of the commission members were in office since they were in a meeting with the governor.

But the situation became heated when they were stopped by the police on their way to the governor's office and Ahmad was taken away by the police.

Following the arrest, the protesters were upset and blocked the police car. They only calmed down when an officer promised that Ahmad would only be questioned and not arrested.