Specter of poll conflict haunts Sulawesi officials

Specter of poll conflict haunts Sulawesi officials

Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu

Sulawesi election officials are worried that close-knit tribal
bonds between voters and candidates on the island could stir up
bloody conflicts in the upcoming regional elections.

West Sulawesi General Election Commission (KPU) official Rev.
Dharma Sallata Putera said the intense loyalty of some supporters
to their campaign leaders and candidates meant that many might
not accept the outcome of the polls.

"I'm not worried about the candidates -- they are already a
mature and intelligent elite. But I do worry about the campaign
teams and their supporters. If their candidates lose the
elections, the campaign teams could well provoke the grass roots
and it would lead to chaos," Dharma said.

To prevent conflict, Dharma urged candidates to explain to
their teams that winning or losing in the elections was normal.

"If the campaign team can be so convinced ... I believe that
conflicts among supporters of the different candidates in the
upcoming elections will not happen," he said.

Another KPU member, Yahdi Basma, said there were encouraging
signs that the elections would proceed peacefully in the
religiously divided regency of Poso. The registration process
there had been completed peacefully and regental candidates in
Poso had even signed peace pacts with each other, he said. "This
is a good step and (the news of it) should be spread among their
supporters."

However, Yahdi warned that conflict could still occur as the
the campaigning heated up during the first week of June.

The mass mobilization of candidates' supporters was common in
the area and security personnel must maintain a visible presence
to avoid clashes among different groups, Yahdi said.

Meanwhile, Imam Sofyan, a lecturer at Tadulako University,
believed conflict during direct regional elections would more
likely stem from ethnic differences as family and tribal bonds in
Central Sulawesi were strong.

"In Central Sulawesi, large tribes have a strong influence in
society and if the bonds are not managed well, it can lead to
conflict between the followers," Imam said.

Most regional candidates in Sulawesi came from prominent clans
such as the Ponulele, Lamadjido, Pusadan and Bantilan. "Many
voters will be closely associated with the candidates from their
own clans. This loyalty will lead into conflict if it is not
managed well," Imam said.

According to Imam, the peaceful presidential elections last
year could not be barometer for the upcoming direct regional
elections in Sulawesi.

Psychologically, local residents lived in a different world
from the presidential and the vice presidential candidates, he
said. However, during direct regional elections, the candidates
were closer to the hearts of locals and if they lost the
election, there was a bigger probability their supporters would
not accept it, he said.