Khairul Ikhwan, Medan – Burning photographs of a presidential candidate has become commonplace. In the South Sumatra provincial capital of Medan however, five photographs of candidates for the national leadership were burnt at the same time.

The photographs were burnt during an action by students from the National Student League for Democracy (LMND) in the grounds of the Medan General Elections Commission on Jalan Perintis Kemerdekaan on Monday June 14.

“This is a form of protest action by us against them. There is not a single presidential candidate who has sided with the poor. None of them will be able to counter US (United States) intervention through the IMF and similar [insitutions]”, said LMND activist John Merdeka.

As well as burning the photographs of the five presidential candidates, that is incumbent President Megawati Sukarnoputri, Golkar Party candidate former general Wiranto, National Mandate Party candidate Amien Rais, incumbent Vice-President Hamzah Haz and Democratic Party candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the demonstrators also held speeches in which they called on the Indonesian people not to elect a presidential candidate who will be against the poor.

No repressive action was taken by security forces during the demonstration. The scores of police present only watched over the demonstration from a distance. (djo)

[Translated by James Balowski.]