By James Balowski
Indonesia's general elections on May 29 will be conducted under some of the most restrictive campaign rules to date. But what make these elections unusual is that, for the first time, large sections of the population did want to participate — by voting for ousted Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) leader Megawati Sukarnoputri.
Popular support for Megawati, visible in mass rallies in Jakarta and other major cities prior to the crackdown in July, has now been transformed into widespread anger against the regime. This opposition is now turning into support for an election boycott campaign.
Megawati been warned not to attend any PDI meetings, and every one of her candidates has been denied the right to stand.
The publication of Golkar's (the state party) candidate list on January 20 only added to voter cynicism. The list reads like a Who's Who of Indonesia's rich and powerful. Seven are relatives of the president, including four of his six children. Also prominent on the list are the wives of high ranking military officers and cabinet ministers.
Under such conditions, it is hardly surprising that many see little point in voting. A report in the September 23 issue of Forum Keadilan, for example, found that 63% thought that the outcome of the elections no longer reflected the people's aspirations. On February 26, Suara Merdeka reported that 92.4% of respondents to a survey said they would "golput" (cast a blank ballot); 62.2% of respondents to a Tempo Online survey said they would golput.
A broad cross section of forces — many of which have long been allies of the regime — are now publicly supporting a boycott. In the first statement of its kind, on February 13 the Catholic Church, which has some 10 million followers, told its members that it would not be a sin to refuse to vote.
On February 28, the legal opposition United Development Party (PPP) formally agreed to ignore the new campaign rules, regardless of the consequences. It also approved requests by seven branches in Central Java to boycott the campaign.
On March 5, sacked PPP parliamentarian Sri Bintang Pamungkas, who is also head of the Indonesian United Democratic Party (PUDI), was charged with subversion for distributing greeting cards calling for a boycott. PUDI's chairperson and its general secretary have also been arrested.
The first mass action openly calling for a boycott was initiated by a broad coalition of student groups under the banner of the Yogyakarta Committee of Concerned Youth on March 21.
Described as an "Art Action", the demonstration began at the Gajah Mada University (UGM) in Yogyakarta, followed by a rally in the city. Speeches called for the repeal of the repressive political laws, an end to military involvement in politics and the release of People's Democratic Party (PRD) leader Budiman Sujatmiko and other political prisoners. Chanting "boycott the elections", the crowd grew to more than 500 and was soon confronted by police and military. After tense negotiations, it was allowed to continue and return to the university.
The authorities showed no such restraint in a second action also held at UGM on April 1. A "hunger strike for Megawati and Democracy" organised by the Struggle Committee for Indonesian Democracy — a coalition of student groups and pro-Megawati PDI members — was violently broken up by the military. Students were chased and beaten with batons, resulting in 25 arrests and three others suffering serious injuries. A number of activists are still missing.
On March 11, Amnesty International confirmed that three activists from the PRD — Bimo Petrus, Hanni and Iing — had been arrested in Jakarta in connection with a nationwide graffiti and poster campaign calling for a boycott. The PRD has issued a call to 12 well-known opposition figures, including Megawati, Sri Bintang and Islamic leaders Gus Dur and Amien Rias, to support a mass boycott campaign.
On March 26, police fired rubber bullets into a crowd in Pekalongan, Central Java, after it burned down a stage where the president's daughter Tutut was due to appear for a pre-election rally. Tension had been building from earlier in the day, when Golkar supporters removed PPP flags. As in previous cases of unrest, the crowd then set fire to Chinese homes and shops.
Although Megawati has yet to formally endorse an election boycott, recent statements have hinted at the possibility. At a spontaneous rally in North Jakarta on March 3, she said that the PDI leadership would make a statement soon.
Accompanying her on a family visit in Bali on March 10, PDI leader Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno said, "Because they [PDI members] now have no candidate, we cannot force them to choose".
Speaking to a crowd of some 5000 in the Central Java town of Megelang on March 25, Megawati admitted that many of her supporters had complained about her failure to make any clear statement on the elections, but said that the leaders would soon issue an instruction.
Megawati continues to attend ostensibly non-political events where she is always greeted by huge crowds. It may be that she wants to continue this kind of agitation in the hope that sections of the regime will break with Suharto and allow her to participate in the elections. If this tactic fails, she may be forced to call for a boycott when the campaigning period starts on April 23.
The regime has taken an increasingly rigid stand. On March 1, Suharto vowed to "flatten" anyone who tries to force him out of office unconstitutionally. On March 5, Kompas quoted the attorney general, Singgih, as saying that it would be "unconstitutional" for someone who was not voting to advocate that others do the same. Suharto on March 14 warned that he would punish anyone advocating a boycott. The military have made similar threats.
On March 27, Suharto was quoted as saying that a previous invitation for foreign observers to monitor the elections had been cancelled. Army commander Hartono has threatened to arrest anyone trying to monitor the elections, and the Independent Election Monitoring Committee, KIPP, has already been banned from operating in West Java.
Although the new regulations stipulate that all meeting must be held indoors, recent seminars organised by NGOs and human rights organisations have also been shut down. On March 13, a one-day seminar on "honest and fair elections" in Jakarta was refused a permit.
In another case, overzealous police not only disbanded "illegal" meetings on the elections but also closed down two nearby government-sponsored training programs.
In Denpasar, a planned 1200 kilometre "long march" by Megawati supporters from Bali to Jakarta was prevented from going ahead by riot police who ringed the starting point. Four of the organisers have been detained by police.
Many believe that the regime is already panicking — lashing out at the slightest sign of opposition. Far from silencing its critics, this repression has sharpened existing tensions and further polarised society.
Suharto's base of support is dwindling as he is deserted by many of his traditional allies. One indication of just how nervous the regime is are the subtitles now being broadcast on the television evening news: "Use your right to choose as proof of a responsible citizen", "Make the elections a success".