Singgih welcomes aid team for electioneering victims
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)