Subject: KMP: PRD threatened with ban over E Timor
call
Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 08:38:38 -0400
From: "John M. Miller" <fbp@igc.apc.org>Monday, 12 April 1999
If True That East Timor Was Urged To Boycott The Election Government May Break Up PRD
Jakarta, Kompas Online
The authorities have taken a tough attitude toward the suggestion of Partai Rakyat
Demokratik (PRD) urging that the General Election 1999 should not take place in East Timor
(Timtim). The government will be making a close study if the challenge was made in
seriousness by PRD, or as a remark to draw attention.
"We will check it out. If it turns out that an intensive movement is behind the
words to boycott the election of Timtim, tough measures will be taken," said the
Director General of General State and Regional Autonomy Affairs (PUOD) Department Home
Affairs, Ryaas Rasyid, on Saturday (10/4) in Jakarta.
It is known that Minister of Home Affairs, Syarwan Hamid, protested the statement made
by PRD which rejected an election in East Timor. Party leader Budiman Sudjatmiko is
campaigning for a referendum in Timtim. PRD also refuse to recognise the Political Laws of
1999, comprising Laws for Political parties, the Election, and the Structure and Seatings
of the People's Consultative Assembly/House of Representatives/Regional House of
Representatives (Kompas, 10/4)
Ryaas nurtures a positive opinion about the PRD statement which was brought up at
Timtim at the opening of the local District Election Committee (PPD) I on March 29
recently. If, however, PRD has in mind to urge a boycott of the general election, he said,
government will jump into action.
After Timtim, PRD might urge people in Aceh, Ambon or others to boycott the general
election. They would then be clearly a threat to the nation's unity," he said.
Ryaas confirmed that a political party could be broken up or frozen when it proved to
be a threat to national unity. Ryaas referred to article 3 and article 17 of Laws
No.2/1999 in concern with Political Parties. Article 3 of the Law stipulates, political
parties may not pose a threat to unity of the nation.
While article 17 verse (2) stresses, The Supreme Court of Indonesia carries authority
to freeze or break up political parties if they have violated article 2, 3, 5, 9 and
article 16 of this law.
The Supreme Court will take this action after hearing and taken into considerations
informations from the respective party leaders and after a legal process has been
conducted.
The freezing or breakup of a political party may be done after a court decision of a
permanent nature has been taken and announced in the State Bulletin by the Minister of
Justice.
Ryaas stressed that government shall not act recklessly where legal action against PRD
is concerned, as such an action has to be checked out first and enforced with accurate
proof. The more so since PRD has formally been accepted as a participant in the general
election.
"They (PRD) reject the Political Law 1999, but participate in the election and sit
in the General Election Commission. They urge Timtim people to boycott the election while
Timtim is still part of the Indonesian Republic. How do you like that?" said Ryaas.
(*)
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