Jakarta – The Indonesian government has ordered a ban on public gatherings which could incite social unrest prior to the May general election, officials said yesterday.
The Indonesian Interior Ministry, in a statement, urged governors, regents and mayors to postpone any meetings, congresses and seminars organised by the country's sociopolitical and mass organisations that would involve large groups of people.
"Any activity that could incite social unrest and disturb public order should be postponed," said the statement signed by Interior Minister Yogie Memet, who is also the National Election Institute chief.
It said the restriction would be imposed one week prior to the scheduled April 27-May 23 election campaign and would end a week after the May 29 election.
The ban also applies to research activities that would involve a large number of people. However, research or field surveys that do not involve the masses and are unlikely to cause unrest and public disorder are exempted.
The nearly one-month campaign would be followed by a five-day cooling-off period before voters go to the polls.
Last year, the government for the first time since 1972 barred outdoor election campaigning and ordered so-called indoor discussion sessions instead.
Last Thursday, thousands of Muslims burned or damaged four churches, two Buddhist temples and over 100 homes and shops mostly belonging to ethnic Chinese in Rengasdengklok, 40 km east of Jakarta.
The violence flared after a Chinese woman allegedly scolded Muslim youths for making noise at a nearby mosque before dawn.
Three other major outbreaks of ethnic and religious unrest on the islands of Java and Kalimantan since October have left at least a dozen people dead and scores injured. The upcoming general election would be the sixth under President Suharto's administration and the seventh since Indonesia gained independence in 1945.
More than 119 million people are expected to cast votes to choose 425 members of the 500-seat Parliament from among candidates of the three political parties – the ruling Golkar, the Muslim-oriented United Development Party and the Indonesian Democratic Party.
The 500 members of Parliament will be joined by 500 regional representatives and public figures to form the People's Consultative Assembly, which will meet next year to elect the President and Vice-President.
Mr Suharto's party, Golkar, has won each of the five-yearly general elections held since 1971. – DPA, AFP.