Protestants urge fear-free election

JAKARTA (JP): The Protestant community has been told to vote in the upcoming general election without succumbing to pressure, fear or lures from others.

The Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) said in their recently published white book, obtained by The Jakarta Post on Thursday, that democracy allowed Indonesians to maintain their freedom and abide by their consciences on polling day.

"The public, as keeper of the country's sovereignty, needs to understand that voters must use their voting rights with all their heart and responsibility.

"We know some of us are having difficulty choosing ... let's exercise this right carefully, thoroughly, freely and in accordance with our consciences," the PGI said.

The 29-page book was issued on March 27. It was signed by 11 Protestant leaders, including the PGI's chairman Sularso Sopater and his secretary-general J.M. Pattiasina.

Protestants make up about six percent of the country's 200 million predominantly Moslem population. The PGI groups about 60 Protestant denominations across the country.

The PGI's Catholic counterpart, the Bishops Council of Indonesia (KWI), released a pre-Easter statement to its members saying Catholics would not be blamed if they refused to vote, if they cannot find a candidate who represents their political hopes.

No edict on the election has been issued by the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI), but individual Moslem leaders and organizations have called on their members to vote.

More than 124 million Indonesians are eligible to vote in the general election, the seventh since independence in 1945. The Moslem-oriented United Development Party (PPP), the dominant Golkar and the Christian-Nationalist Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) will compete in the election.

In the white book, the PGI demands improvements in the election process, which since 1977, has become routine every five years.

"General elections should be a mechanism to implement democracy, refresh the nation's spirit and suggest reform of the state's policies," it said.

"Through a fair and just election, in which the principles of direct, public, free and confidential balloting are fully guaranteed, we believe these goals could be achieved," it added.

The PGI said it was concerned with the increase in the number of attacks on churches, and property belonging to ethnic Chinese.

"Attacks on (Christian) schools, orphanages, shops, private houses, government offices and factories have caused thousands of people to lose their jobs and students have lost their place to study," PGI said.

There are only about five million ethnic Chinese, according to official statistics, but they dominate the economy. Ethnic Chinese are generally Christians or Buddhists.

The PGI said that in the 25 years since 1967, an average of 8.4 churches were damaged or closed down each year. The number soared to 16.6 a year between 1993 and May 1996.

But riots across the country in the past 10 months have sky rocketed the figure. Since the riots started in Surabaya, East Java, in June last year, 64 churches have been vandalized or destroyed, the PGI said.

Of the attacks on churches, 25.9 percent were in East Java, 21.4 percent were in West Java, 13.7 percent were in South Sulawesi, 13.1 percent were in Central Java, 4.8 percent were in Kalimantan and the remaining attacks were in Yogyakarta, North Sumatera and other areas.

The riot in Situbondo, East Java, last September was deemed the saddest by the PGI as a reverend, his wife, daughter and another relative died in their burning church.

The PGI said there was no evidence that the riots were incited by religious or ethnic conflict, socioeconomic reasons or public anger toward government officials.

"In this situation, it's obvious that intellectual actors were behind the riots.

"The riots reminded us of ones in the past ... they indicate the resurrection of right wing extremists who benefit from the vulnerability of our society," the PGI said.

The PGI said they were concerned about the decline in public trust in the supremacy of law. They were also concerned about the abuse of power, corruption and government officials' arrogance.

"The problem of socioeconomic disparity that results in anti- ethnic Chinese is another worrying issue," it said. (amd)