RI election in Australia?

The "weather" I mean in this letter has nothing to do with Jimmy Carter, a former U.S. president. Carter came here to see if preparations for the general election are in accordance with international rules in democratic societies.

In a sense, there is already a light pressure from the international community on the election process. The energetic former U.S. president, while here, stated that the upcoming general election would take place fairly and peacefully.

However, I disagree with Carter, especially after what has occurred in Purbalingga, Central Java. In fact, I am rather pessimistic that all will run as planned.

I am afraid somebody may suggest that, like the football final between Surabaya and Semarang, the election be organized outside Indonesia -- for instance, in Australia. I am sure Carter would not mind traveling to Australia to act as referee.

The police would then have less to do and the watchdogs would enjoy their work.

As we know, the police did issue a permit for the soccer match to take place at the Senayan stadium in Jakarta but the permit was canceled when supporters of both sides were feared to kill each other, the players and the referee. Many soccer fans were disappointed and angry at the cancellation of the big final match. Most of the fans came from far away and they are not rich. They were forced to return by trains and warships as if they were refugees from Kosovo.

Personally, I would have preferred the police to allow the match to take place. If it turned rough and the crowd became uncontrollable, with victims falling on both sides, the match should then be stopped. A rematch could be organized -- not necessarily in Manado, North Sulawesi -- without the public. The match, to determine this year's champion, could be held at the same place without supporters present and without prior announcement. That would save time and money.

With its new status, the police should not surrender before the battle begins. Guarding the general election would surely be 10 times tougher, requiring greater strength and concentration, than guarding a football match.

The simpler solution would be to decide the winner through penalties without the presence of the public but with the presence of armored carriers around the stadium. Maybe, in addition, the stadium lights should be switched off. Instead, kerosene lamps from Madura could be used, so that no hooligans would notice anything.

About the general election, if reports said that a group from a certain party had ripped off flags and symbols of another party during a rally in Purbalingga, it is indeed a serious breach of election rules.

Such a degree of intolerance demonstrated in a small city gives one reason for great concern whether the election process will take place fairly and peacefully.

It is an early warning to the police that they will be facing a huge, if not impossible, task. Hopefully, their preparations will not be too late.

It is also a warning to parties which have started election campaigning too early and illegally.

GANDHI SUKARDI

Bogor, West Java