The Jakarta Post, August 09, 2005
Maluku locals stage protest over election
M. Azis Tunny, The Jakarta Post, Ambon
Protesters scuffled with police in a demonstration by around 500 residents of West
Seram regency outside the Maluku General Elections Commission in Ambon on
Monday when Ahmad Rahanta, the protest coordinator, was apprehended by the
police.
Upset protesters, who tried to free Ahmad, blocked the police patrol car that carried
Ahmad, causing a traffic jam on the city's main street Jl. AY Patty.
During the protest some people also set car tires on fire in the street, startling
residents who were still traumatized by previous conflicts in the city.
"I thought there was a building on fire in the street seeing the black smoke," said a
resident, Feri Attamimi.
The protest started at 11 a.m. with protesters calling themselves the Alliance of Law
and Democracy Enforcers arriving at the commission's office to air their
dissatisfaction over the West Seram Election Commission plenary meeting result
which allowed candidate Soebeno to contest in the second round of the regency
election, the date for which has not yet been set.
Soebeno is suspected of submitting a forged school diploma from STM 75 high school
in the Central Java town of Purwokerto and had been named suspect by the police
following a background check with the school, but his arrest was suspended. In the
diploma, it is stated that he graduated in 1970 while the school was set up in 1971.
Soebeno was the strongest candidate likely to win the election in the regency
following the first round on June 23. Only two out of the six regental candidates will
contest in the runoff.
"Soebeno is clearly guilty of using a fake diploma. Why can he still compete in the
election?" yelled Ahmad Rahanta, the protest's coordinator.
He charged that Soebeno, who is supported by the Golkar Party, could enter the
runoff due to the use of "old ways". "This is the New Order's way of using all means
possible to win. We, West Seram residents, will reject him," Ahmad said.
The protesters demanded the Maluku governor and Maluku General Elections
Commission sort out the election in West Seram regency.
But after getting no response from the commission members, the protesters became
angry and tried to break through the police cordon while threatening to burn down the
commission office.
"There's been commission offices set on fire. Don't let it happen in Maluku," said
Ibrahim Ruhunussa, a protester.
The protesters started to cool down when chief of Sirimau Police, First Insp. La Ode
Muhammad told them that none of the commission members were in office since they
were in a meeting with the governor.
But the situation became heated when they were stopped by the police on their way
to the governor's office and Ahmad was taken away by the police.
Following the arrest, the protesters were upset and blocked the police car. They only
calmed down when an officer promised that Ahmad would only be questioned and not
arrested.
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