SOUTH SULAWESI: DEMONSTRATIONS CONTINUE IN ADVANCE OF

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SURABAYA 000007 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MTS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID ID SUBJECT: SOUTH SULAWESI: DEMONSTRATIONS CONTINUE IN ADVANCE OF EXPECTED JANUARY 19 CARETAKER GOVERNOR APPOINTMENT REF: SURABAYA 91 AND PREVIOUS SURABAYA 00000007 001.2 OF 002 Portions of this Message are Sensitive But Unclassified. Please Protect Accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Daily protests against the Supreme Court's December decision requesting gubernatorial elections be re-run in four South Sulawesi regencies turned violent January 16 when supporters of declared victor Syahrul Yasin Limpo entered the governor's office. The local election commission chairman and provincial police chief predicted that January 19, when the central government is expected to name a caretaker governor, would be a peak day of protests. Local election officials maintain that the court has no authority to decide who won the election. Local observers believe that protests will continue until the judicial review of the Supreme Court's decision is completed. They expressed concern that the protests could begin to break down along ethnic lines. Vice President and South Sulawesi native Jusuf Kalla asked both parties to avoid violence. End Summary. Peaceful Protests Get Ugly -------------- ¶2. (U) Protestors continue to stage daily demonstrations in the provincial capital of Makassar against the Supreme Court's December 19 decision to ask the South Sulawesi election commission (KPUD) to hold re-elections for governor in four regencies (reftel). On Monday, January 14, according to press reports, supporters of the declared victors, Syahrul Yasin Limpo and Agus Nu'mang, occupied the local parliamentary offices for six hours and blockaded the main road running in front of local government offices. On Wednesday, July 16, according to press reports, thousands of people demonstrated in front of the governor's office to demand that the Minister of Home Affairs install the governor-elect Syahrul Yasin Limpo. Demonstrators eventually broke down the front door of the governor's office. A second demonstration was held in front of the local parliament building the same day. Judges "Didn't Know Any Better" -------------- ¶3. (SBU) On December 17, during a meeting with Surabaya Pol-Econ Officer, KPUD chairman Andi Mappinawang criticized the Supreme Court's decision, stating that the court has no standing to decide who won the election and had overstepped its authority. Mappinawang noted that the court make its decision strictly on the basis of witness statements, without reviewing any voting data or statistical evidence. He added that the five judges had no experience with election law and thus "didn't know any better." Mappinawang added that the court did not annul the election results, which meant that the declared winners, Syahrul Yasin Limpo and Agus Nu'mang, were the rightful governor and vice governor respectively of South Sulawesi. Supriansyah, Director of Makassar Intellectual Law, told the Consulate January 17 that protests will likely continue until the judicial review of the Supreme Court's decision is completed. That review process is expected to take three months. ¶4. (SBU) Mappinawang called the Minister of Home Affairs intention to install a caretaker governor on January 19 a terrible idea -- "why have an election if you don't want to abide by the results?" He added that it set a bad precedent to overturn an election because of disagreements over a close victory. Mappinawang suggested that installation of a caretaker government would heighten local anger over what is perceived as Jakarta's interference in local politics. Whatever happens on January 19, Mappinawang predicted, would cause a great deal of unhappiness and likely spark increasingly violent demonstrations. According to press reports, the provincial police chief (Kapolda) expects "a peak of demonstrations" on Saturday. Jakarta's Interference -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Sukriansyah, the Chief Editor of the local newspaper Fajar Daily, told visiting Pol-Econ Officer January 17 that the demonstrators were not paid participants but rather truly committed supporters who were angry with the court's interference. The most energetic protestors were coming to Makassar from the contested regencies, but were joined by local residents and demonstrators from other areas. Legal advocate Supriansyah told the Consulate that supporters of defeated incumbent Amin Syam had yet to stage similar protests. He SURABAYA 00000007 002.2 OF 002 predicted, however, that the two groups would most likely confront each other "face to face" in the eastern part of South Sulawesi and in the regencies of Bantaeng and Tana Toraja. Jusuf Kalla's Role -------------- ¶6. (SBU) While Fajar's Sukriansyah said that it appeared that Vice President Jusuf Kalla was trying to keep his distance from the ongoing dispute, Mappinawang was less convinced. Mappinawang observed that it was difficult for the local population to believe that Kalla was not trying to exert influence to ensure that Golkar's candidate Amin Syam and Kalla's brother-in-law Mansur Ramly were declared the winners in his home province. Legal advocate Supriansyah said that Kalla had met with both Amin Syam and Yasin Limpo and urged them to obey the law. Both had reportedly promised to avoid violence. Supriansyah expressed concern that the protests which destroyed the governor's office door signaled that Yasin Limpo's supporters were willing to use violence to put pressure on the government and the courts. ¶7. (SBU) Supriansyah emphasized that local observers were concerned that protests could eventually split along ethnic lines and create a more dangerous situation. Amin Syam's campaign, for example, highlighted his "real" Bugis identity, while Yasin Limpo is a "Bugis-Makassar" man. Mappinawang noted that support for the candidates cut across ethnic lines and demonstrations to date had not rallied around ethnicity. He acknowledged, however, that an unanticipated event could trigger ethnic divisions. Appointing a Caretaker -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Tribun Timur Makassar reported January 17 that Vice President Jusuf Kalla had confirmed that the central government would install a caretaker in South Sulawesi. The government is reportedly considering two senior government officials -- Director General of the Politics and National Unit Dr. Sudarsono Hardjosoekarto and Seman Widjojo, the Inspector General of the Department of Home Affairs -- for the position. The Spokesman for the Department of Home Affairs reportedly refused to comment. Makassar is abuzz with rumors that the government will appoint a former military official as caretaker. MCCLELLAND