Political parties' violations in campaigning 'get short shrift'

JAKARTA (JP): Security personnel and the official supervisory election committees are not serious in addressing violations of political parties, at least eight institutions in Yogyakarta stated on Friday.

Violations continued through to late Friday across the country ahead of the first polls since Soeharto quit the presidency in May 1998.

About 200 demonstrators of the Joint Forum of Yogyakarta Poll Watchers demanded action on various violations.

The Coordinator of the Committee Against Violence in the 1999 Election (KUAK), Rizal Panggabean, revealed that of at least 182 cases of poll-related violence in the country, 67 were not handled.

"Violence will continue if law is not enforced," Rizal said, believing it would create a "culture of impunity". He said all major parties were involved.

KUAK recorded 83 cases involving Golkar either as the alleged offenders or victims, 71 involving the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and 41 connected to the United Development Party (PPP).

In Surabaya, the East Java chapter of the National Mandate Party (PAN) said on Friday it was strongly considering not taking part in the polls after hundreds of spoilt ballots were found. The ballots bore the logo of the Muslim Community Awakening Party (Kami), whose main color is originally black, colored in blue like that of PAN.

"This is clearly a trap (to mislead voters)," PAN's provincial deputy chairman Sulthon Amin said. PAN in the Lamongan regency had conducted a poll simulation for senior citizens declaring themselves PAN sympathizers, he said.

"From 200 residents, 15 wrongly voted for the Kami Party, and so did all (PAN supporters) in Sidoarjo."

"I think there is an evil conspiracy against reformist parties," Sulthon said. "It couldn't be a technical mistake."

PAN's East Java chapter has lodged a protest to the provincial election committee and the official supervisory committee. "There could be at least hundreds of thousands of these papers," Sulthon said.

In Jakarta, dozens of activists of the Indonesia Working Forum urged an end to money politics, citing reports, mainly from the Urban Poor Consortium, regarding abuse of farmers' credit schemes of Rp 11 trillion and the safety net fund of Rp 18 trillion.

They demanded that the House of Representatives immediately announce the results of auditing of fund use and appoint two independent international auditors to check the related state offices involved in their distribution. They also urged that Golkar and the People's Sovereignty Party (PDR) be disqualified from the polls if proved guilty of abusing the funds.

From Bandar Lampung Antara quoted a private poll watch monitor as saying that PDI Perjuangan was the party involved in most violations, such as the vandalizing of other parties' symbols.

Coordinator of the Rector's Forum of Lampung, Anshori Djausal, said Golkar, PKP and PDR were most involved in money politics and abuse of government facilities. Golkar and PDR were the parties which most often promised a return to voters and the involvement of civil servants as campaigners, Anshori alleged.

From Manado, North Sulawesi, Antara quoted a PDR supporter as saying that the stop in the channeling of farmers' credit schemes would affect the votes of PDR. "Much of PDR's campaign material comprised of convincing people that PDR will be able to channel the funds," Tommy P. in Tomohon, Minahasa regency, said. But a PDR executive denied that campaigners made such pledges.

From Palu, Central Sulawesi the Independent Election Monitoring Committee (KIPP) discovered polling committees in remote areas which only represent one party.

Polling committees must represent all parties in a given area.

"In Poso district, for instance, we found more than 10 polling committees with members from only one party, plus village officials," KIPP member Armin Salasa said Friday.

"People in remote areas stick to the old perception that election organizers only consist of village officials and local Golkar cadres," he observed.

In Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, the chapter of the University Network for Free and Fair Elections (Unfrel) revealed Golkar topped the list of 10 political parties involved in alleged crimes such as intimidation and money politics.

From Pandeglang, West Java, the agency also reported that in two weeks of campaigning since May 19, nine had died and dozens had been injured, mostly in traffic accidents. (44/38/23/swa/nur/anr)