Singgih welcomes aid team for electioneering victims

JAKARTA (JP): A group planning to provide legal aid and other support to victims of election campaigning was welcomed by Attorney General Singgih yesterday.

The recently-established Advocacy Team for Victims Affected by the General Election Excesses (Takep) would play a useful role, he said, as "the Election Supervision Committee cannot control campaign behavior in all locations".

Team chairman, Daris Purba, said the organization includes lawyers, students and lecturers in Yogyakarta.

He said members of Takep would provide free consultations and legal assistance to people assaulted in campaign activity, particularly during processions.

Daris said Takep was established in response to concerns over the possibility of violence as election day approaches.

He hoped people would report to Takep if violence occurred.

Singgih said that Takep would be able to inform the Election Supervision Committee if abuses occurred during the campaign and election days.

He said that parties should take responsibility for any vandalism and assaults during campaigns.

"The contestants have their own task forces which are obliged to ensure that casualties do not occur," Singgih said.

He added there are three kinds of violation: administrative, political, and criminal violations.

Administrative violations, he said, should be settled by the parties while political violations are forbidden during the campaign.

"Criminal violations should be resolved through legal settlement," Singgih said.

The general election will be held on May 29. The United Development Party (PPP), Golkar, and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) will vie for 425 seats in the House of Representatives.

Asked about the election committee's stance on the two PDI groups, Singgih said, "we hope that there will be a consolidation in the near future".

The PDI was split into two groups following last June's government-supported congress in Medan in which Megawati Soekarnoputri was deposed with Soerjadi replacing her as leader.

People have questioned the election committee's independence. But Singgih said the committee consists of various elements including the government, political parties and the Armed Forces.

"They vowed to be objective in carrying out their job," he said.

Separately, Singgih said the Attorney General's Office refused rebel politician Sri Bintang Pamungkas' request to postpone his detention.

"We will continue our investigation, and we will summon more witnesses if needed," Singgih said. (05/23)