Maluku locals stage protest over election

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.