Seminar on elections canceled

Seminar on elections canceled

JAKARTA (JP): A one-day seminar planned for yesterday on the
need for free and just elections was banned by the police because
the organizing committee had failed to notify the authorities of
the gathering.

The cancellation was announced by organizing committee member
Asmara Nababan shortly before the seminar was due to start at the
Catholic Students Association headquarters.

Nababan, a National Commission on Human Rights member, had met
officers of the Central Jakarta police precinct before he decided
to postpone the seminar for eight days.

"We are sorry about the postponement," he said, "but we have
agreed to comply with the official rule."

The regulations require that gatherings such as seminars, be
reported to the police at least one week in advance.

The seminar, Making a Free and Just General Elections a
Success, was coorganized by the International NGO Forum on
Indonesian Development, the Catholic Students Association, the
Pijar Foundation and the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights
Association (PBHI).

It was to have featured legislators Hadimulyo of the United
Development Party, Mustahid Astari of the dominant Golkar
organization and Alexander Litaay of the Indonesian Democratic
Party.

Other scheduled speakers were Mulyana W. Kusumah of the
unrecognized Independent Election Monitoring Committee, Marzuki
Darusman of the National Commission on Human Rights, and
political analyst Arbi Sanit.

PHBI criticized the ban, branding it proof that the government
means to use "permit politics" to curtail people's initiatives.

"It clearly contradicts the freedom of expression and assembly
guaranteed by the Constitution," PBHI spokesman Paskah Irianto
said. (aan/pan)