Protests against crooked politicians held in Wonosobo, Jayapura

Nethy Dharma Somba and Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura/Wonosobo

Students and farmers held demonstrations against crooked politicians on Tuesday and Wednesday in Central Java and Papua provinces respectively, urging people not to vote for such politicians in the upcoming general elections.

In the Papua capital, Jayapura, some 70 students from the group Students Against Crooked Politicians (Amatik) marched along Jayapura's main thoroughfares on Wednesday.

It was the first protest against crooked politicians to be held in Papua province, after a national campaign against them was launched by students and activists some two months ago in Jakarta.

The students in Papua started their kilometers-long march on Wednesday from Imbi park, in front of the Papua provincial council building, and ended it at the same location.

During the march, the students carried banners and posters that condemned crooked politicians.

Coordinator of the protest Baco Maiwa said that the protest was aimed at ensuring the upcoming general election would produce honest and responsible politicians.

In the protest the students also produced a list of characteristics that defined crooked politicians. They said that people could be categorized as crooked politicians if they were involved in corruption, human rights violations, environmental destruction or ignored the fate of poor people and workers.

"If legislative candidates have any of these characteristics, please don't vote for them," said Baco.

Baco added that the students would continue their protest until April 5, the date of the general election.

The students came from the Indonesian Christian Students Movement (GMKI), the Association of Islamic Students (HMI), the Indonesian Muslim Students Action Front (KAMMI) and the Muhammadiyah Students Association (IMM).

Separately, in the Central Java regency, Wonosobo, a similar protest against crooked politicians was held one day earlier by some 10,000 farmers from the Agrarian Reform Alliance (AGRA), which represents farmers from across the archipelago.

The farmers called on people not to vote for corrupt politicians in the upcoming election nor to vote for politicians who ignored the interests of farmers.

Ragil Sugiarna, the protest coordinator, said that the protest was a follow-up to the recent AGRA conference in Yogyakarta.

"The conference, attended by farmers' representatives in 45 regencies nationwide, recommended land reform and mass action against crooked politicians," he said.