PRD to register for Indonesian election
By Max Lane
The People's Democratic Party (PRD) has decided to participate in the June election in Indonesia. The chairperson of the Central Leadership Council of the People's Democratic Party (KPP-PRD), Faisal Reza, announced this at a media conference at the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation on February 16.
This decision was taken at a PRD national working meeting on February 13-14. The PRD assessed the current period as one of transition from a militarist capitalist dictatorship to the opening up of democratic space. According to Faisal, the Indonesian people are now in a better position to wage both spontaneous and organised resistance if they considered that state policy was against their interests or aspirations.
While the PRD will participate in the election, it maintained its criticism that the government is not serious in carrying out an election that would genuinely help solve the economic and political crisis in Indonesia. The PRD accused the government of primarily seeking legitimacy in the eyes of foreign investors and international donor agencies.
The PRD assesses that the moderate opposition is taking advantage of objective conditions to win broad support in the election.
Faisal expressed his concerns about the rise of "money politics" and the use of the divide and rule tactic in election camapigning. Even though the election will be carried out under such undemocratic conditions, he said, the election will generate an important political momentum in the country.
Budiman Sujatmiko, the general chairperson of the PRD who is still imprisoned in Jakarta, said via Faisal that the PRD does not want to become just an electoral machine: "We want our party to be a school for politics for the people".
KPP-PRD member Wilson told Green Left Weekly by telephone that the number one candidate on the PRD party list will be Budiman Sujatmiko. "This will help focus attention on the regime's undemocratic imprisonment of political opponents", he said.
The abolition of the political role of the military and the freeing of all political prisoners will be key issues in the PRD campaign, Wilson said. "It will also provide an opportunity to explain more about the PRD's analysis of the economic crisis."
The PRD believes the conditions are not yet appropriate for elections in Aceh and West Papua. It said that Indonesian military operations in these areas had to end so that the Acehnese and West Papuan people could express their views freely.
The PRD reaffirmed its support for a referendum in East Timor.