Political parties' violations in campaigning 'get short shrift'

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)