PAPUA -- ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN FULL SWING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 000530 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, EAP/RSP, EAP/ANP E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2019 TAGS: PGOV KDEM ID SUBJECT: PAPUA -- ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN FULL SWING REF: JAKARTA 521 AND PREVIOUS Classified By: Pol/C Joseph L. Novak, reasons 1.4(b+d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The campaign is in full swing in the Papuan region of eastern Indonesia ahead of April's national legislative elections. While local election officials admit that logistical challenges in the remote region are daunting, they feel confident they will be ready by election day. President Yudhoyono's Partai Demokrat (PD) is among the parties that seem poised to win the lion's share of the vote in Papua. As a lightly populated region, the results from Papua will not be determinative in any way on the national level, but a peaceful vote could reinforce positive trends in the restive region. END SUMMARY. LOGISTICS AND SOCIALIZATION ¶2. (C) Papua's biggest electoral challenges are logistics and socialization, according to Benny Sweny, Chair of the Papua Provincial Election Commission (KPU-P). During a March 18 meeting in Jayapura, the provincial capital, Sweny told poloff that the KPU-P was confident that it could get election materials to all 26 districts in Papua and West Papua provinces. The challenge will be getting materials from the district capitals to more remote towns and villages for the actual voting--and bringing them back when voting is completed. ¶3. (C) The KPU-P will use a wide range of resources to get the job done. The Indonesian Military (TNI) and police will provide transportation and logistical support to reach some areas--a step that has raised concerns among some Papuan activists. Sweny told poloff that the KPU-P was confident that the military would remain politically neutral as it supported election operations. The KPU-P would also rely on American and other expatriate missionary pilots, who provided the only air service to many remote communities, to transport election materials. ¶4. (C) Sweny conceded that it would be difficult to socialize Papuans in remote locations to basic electoral practices. People in these regions were poorly educated and had little exposure to the political process. During Indonesia's 2004 general elections, some highland Papuans reportedly had turned in unmarked ballots because they had not understood voting procedures, Sweny said. ¶5. (C) Poloff's March 20 visit to Emdomen (S 04:13.34, E 139:52.93),a highland village approximately 120 miles south of Jayapura, highlighted these difficulties. The village, home to around 100 people, can only be reached by small aircraft. Emdomen residents who spoke to poloff were unaware of even the most basic facts of the upcoming election. A SPIRITED CAMPAIGN ¶6. (C) Golkar, one of the country's largest secular oriented parties, remains strong in Papua. The party retains an extensive grass-roots network of activists in major Papuan cities. Golkar banners, flags, shirts and other election paraphernalia were evident throughout Jayapura. Golkar is counting on the "outsider appeal" of party chief Vice President Jusuf Kalla according to Jan Ajomi, a Golkar member of the provincial legislature (DPR-P). Ajomi told poloff that Papuans would identify with Kalla because he was "not Javanese." With this strategy, Golkar hoped to draw the votes of ethnic Papuans and the many migrants to the region from other parts of Indonesia--except, of course, for those from Java. (Note: VP Kalla comes from South Sulawesi. A significant portion of the non-Papuan residents of Papua comes originally from Sulawesi.) ¶7. (C) President Yudhoyono's Partai Demokrat (PD) isQlso poised to make a good showing. PD officials told poloff they expected Yudhoyono's personal popularity to boost the party's fortunes. Yudhoyono's anti-corruption message and clean reputation seemed to resonate with Papuans, especially given widespread concern that corrupt local officials had siphoned off much of the province's Special Autonomy funding. Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Freddy Numberi--the only Papuan member of the Cabinet--headed PD efforts in the region. During a March 20-22 visit, poloff witnessed Numberi presiding over a number of campaign rallies and handing out PD election paraphernalia in Jayapura. PD officials said they also hoped the Yudhoyono administration's efforts at a rapprochement with Papuan separatist leader Nicholas Jouwe would boost the President's standing among Papuans (see Ref A). JAKARTA 00000530 002 OF 002 ¶8. (C) Several contacts told poloff of their concern that ethnic Papuans would be underrepresented in the DPR-P. They noted the province's Special Autonomy Law called on political parties to give priority to "Papua natives" in recruiting and selecting candidates. Despite this, most parties had nominated large numbers of non-Papuan candidates. Some activists have called on Papuans to vote on the basis of ethnic solidarity. Others have urged the Governor to use his power to appoint a limited number of DPR-P members to add Papuans to the chamber. At this point, however, there are no indications that the emerging controversy will disrupt the elections or destabilize the region. POSITIVE EXPECTATIONS ¶9. (C) Preparations for elections in the sometimes restive region are, so far, proceeding well. Political parties have promised a peaceful campaign and there have been no incidents of election-related violence. While logistical challenges remain, officials are dealing with them. Even controversial matters, like the alleged under representation of Papuans among candidates, are being handled through peaceful if sometimes heated dialogue. HUME