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)