NORTH MALUKU -- GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION MIRED IN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 003089

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, IRN/EAP, DRL/PHD, EAP/ANP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/06/2017
TAGS: PGOV PINS ASEC ID
SUBJECT: NORTH MALUKU -- GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION MIRED IN
CONTROVERSY

REF: A. SURABAYA 00059


B. JAKARTA 02349

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Classified By: Pol/C Joseph Legend Novak, reasons (1.4 b,d).


1. (U) This message was coordinated with Consulate Surabaya.


2. (C) SUMMARY: On November 3, North Maluku province in
Eastern Indonesia conducted its first-ever direct
gubernatorial election. According to poloff who was on the
scene, voting took place in a peaceful and orderly fashion
despite turbulence in the run-up to election day.
Nonetheless, the electoral process has been marred by
allegations of favoritism and incompetence. The
result--although not yet finalized--has already been
contested and inter-ethnic tensions are spiking. END SUMMARY.

CLOSING IN ON A WINNER


3. (C) As has been the case with many other Indonesian
provinces in recent years, North Maluku conducted its
first-ever direct gubernatorial election on November 3.
(Note: North Maluku, a province of approximately one million
inhabitants, is located in Eastern Indonesia, roughly 1500
miles northeast of Jakarta and 1000 miles southwest of
Manila.) According to Poloff and Pol FSN who were on the
scene as observers, voting took place in a peaceful and
orderly fashion despite turbulence in the run-up to election
day. There was a heavy security force presence. (Note: Per
Ref B, there were large-scale and sometimes violent
demonstrations in August when a local hereditary ruler was
excluded as a candidate in the election by the local
electoral commission.)


4. (C) With 60 per cent of 620,000 ballots counted,
incumbent Governor Thaib Armayin, who is backed by the
Democratic Party and the Islamic Prosperous Justice Party, is
ahead by 11,000 votes, according to the local electoral
commission. Golkar Party candidate Abdul Gafur, a
Suharto-era minister, is in second with two other candidates
bringing up the rear. At this point, Thaib's lead seems
steady, but not insurmountable. It is not yet clear when the
final result will be available.

THERE IS CONTROVERSY


5. (C) Unlike most other regional elections--which have gone
smoothly--the North Maluku election has been mired in
controversy from the start and Abdul Gafur is already
contesting it. Poloff and Pol FSN were told that several
electoral commission decisions generated controversy in the
run-up to the election. The election date, for example, was
changed five times for various reasons (Ref A). Moreover,
the November 3 date--which was ultimately selected--was in
violation of a law on election scheduling. Furious over
these decisions, several electoral commission staff resigned
from their posts and its chair was assaulted by supporters of
the three candidates opposing Thaib.


6. (C) One observer told poloff that he had recommended to
the National Election Commission that it replace all of North
Maluku's electoral commission -- "it is no secret that it is
in the pocket of the incumbent governor," he claimed. Muklis
Tapi, a former electoral commission member who resigned in
protest, told poloff that Husein has gone into hiding due to
the assault. According to Muklis, Husein aligned himself
with the incumbent governor because they are both members of
the same ethnic group.


7. (C) In addition to allegations that it favored the
incumbent, the local electoral commission has been accused of
gross mismanagement. Critics say the body was not up to the
challenge of managing an election in North Maluku, which
consists of thousands of islands and many remote villages.
Inefficiencies regarding ballot delivery and vote tabulation
were evident and had a serious impact on the quality of the
election, according to observers.

TENSIONS SPIKE


8. (C) Due to all the electoral-related problems,

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inter-ethnic tensions in the area are climbing. The
incumbent is a member of the Makian ethnic group and Abdul
Gafur is a representative of the Tidore group. The two
groups traditionally do not like each other and there could
be further turbulence, perhaps sparked by the announcement of
the final result. North Maluku, unfortunately, is riven by
such tensions--violence in the 1999-2001 timeframe left
thousands dead, for example. No one is predicting anything
like that, but whoever wins the election will face a serious
and immediate crisis of legitimacy.
HUME