Voting rights of Sampang refugees at risk, says group

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Sampang | Archipelago | Thu, November 22 2012, 9:41 PM

An Islamic anti-discrimination network (JIAD) has called on the Sampang administration not to ignore Shia refugees’ voting rights ahead of the regent election in Sampang regency, East Java, in December.

The group coordinator, Aan Anshori, said that the refugees had not yet been informed about the election by the relevant bodies.

“I met with the refugees last week and they said that they had not yet been informed about the election by the Sampang General Elections Commission (KPUD). Only some of them had been asked for their data, but they didn’t know what was that for,” Aan told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

“They should be treated the same as other citizens,” he emphasized.

At the time of writing, officials from the KPUD Sampang could not be reached for comment.

Six regent candidate pairs - comprising four political party-backed pairs and two independent pairs - will compete in the Sampang election, which will be held on Dec. 12. The pairs comprise incumbent regent Noer Tjahja- Heri Purnomo (the National Awakening Party, the Democratic Party and the Golkar Party), Haryono Abdul Bari-Hamduddin (the Great Indonesia Movement Party, the National Ulema Awakening Party, the National Mandate Party, the People’s Conscience Party), incumbent deputy regent Fannan Hasib-Fadhilah Budiono (the Star Reform Party, the Prosperous Justice Party and the Indonesian Nahdlatul Ulama United Party), Hermanto Subaidi-Djakfar Sodiq (the United Development Party, the Democratic Renewal Party and the Justice and Unity Party) and independent pairs Yahya Hamiduddin-Faidol Muqoddas and Faisol Muqoddas-Triyadi Husnul Yakin.

Two hundred Shia followers were forced to take shelter in a sports center in Sampang after their houses in the districts of Omben and Karang Penang were destroyed and burned down by a group of Sunni Muslims in August.

Hundreds of the police’s Mobile Brigade (Brimob) personnel are currently guarding the location.

“The security measure is part of our effort to safeguard the election,” Sampang Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Solehan said. (swd)