Jakarta – In Jakarta, opposition to presidential candidates from military circles continues to be organised. On Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of student demonstrators held another demonstration while non-government organisations including the People’s Democratic Party (PRD) and the Community of Families of Victims of Human Rights Violations urged the political elite not to form coalitions with military forces.

They are concerned that if a military person is chosen as president the administration will be tainted by militarism, authoritarianism and there will be a possibility that more gross human rights violations will occur, while past human rights violations have yet to be resolved.

By 12.30pm, hundreds of student had gathered on the campus of the Indonesian Christian University in Salemba, Central Jakarta. They watched a presentation of demonstrations by thousands of students from different parts of the county, principally in Jakarta in and around the Trisakti University and Atma Jaya Catholic University in 1998. Political speeches were also given which rejected the reemergence of the New Order [regime of former President Suharto], the reemergence of the military and called for unity and rebuilding pro-democracy movement which have split over differing interests. At the same time, scores of students burnt tyres and handed out leaflets with a similar theme in front of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute offices in Central Jakarta.

Irony

At 1pm, PRD general chairperson Jusuf Lakaseng and other PRD leadership board members met with the deputy chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM), Solahuddin Wahid, at the Komnas HAM offices. Lakaseng urged Wahid to reject offers by political parties of the New Order or Neo-New Order and presidential candidates from military circles. “It will be ironic if Gus Solah (Solahuddin) who has until now worked for Komnas HAM, for example, wants to join with [former armed forces chief and Golkar Party presidential candidate] Wiranto or [President] Megawati Sukarnoputri as their vice-presidential candidates when these people have allowed the military to disrupt democratic life and commit gross human rights violations”, asserted Lakaseng.

In the afternoon, Indonesian Human Rights Watch (Imparsial), the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) and the United Opposition Front (Barisan Oposisi Bersatu, BOB) met with [former President and National Awakening Party presidential candidate] Abdurrahman Wahid and raised the same concerns. (win)

[Translated by James Balowski.]