Indonesia: Man arrested for advocating election boycott Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source - "John M. Miller" Solidarity for Peace in East Timor Jl. Pramuka Jaya Sari No. 9, Jakarta 10570 Telp. 62-21-422 4079, 422 6348; Faks. 62-21-422 4079 email: solidmor@centrin.net.id Web: www.solidamor.org Translated by TAPOL POLICE ARREST MAN FOR URGING ELECTION BOYCOTT Jakarta, Solid-Net (8/6) A young man identified only by the initials AC was arrested Monday for distributing pamphlets calling on people to boycott the general election in Dili, police spokesman Captain Widodo told the press, adding that the pamphlet was written in Tetum and signed by CNRT Coordinator David Dias Ximenes. However, there is no confirmation that the CNRT produced such a pamphet because the CNRT president Xanana Gusmao announced recently, as reported by Solid-Net Thursday (3/6), that it is not CNRT's intention to boycott the election. He said that the CNRT would do nothing to prevent people from voting on 7 June. Bishop Carlos Filipe Belo did not go to the polling booth near his residence but received members of the congregation as usual. 'I am not going to take part in this national festival of democracy, and I have also decided that I will stay at home on 8 August, looking after my flock,' Belo said. Several residents questioned by Reuters gave a variety of reactions about the elections. One man said: 'I'm not interested in the election but I will vote in the ballot on 8 August,' he was quoted as saying. Others said that they had been under pressure. One person who would not give his name said: 'I registered because I was forced to do so by government officials and the village head.' Another person said that people had been forced to vote, fearing that otherwsie, the military would interrogate them. Eighty per cent of eligible voters registered themselves in East Timor, but it is widely believed that many people did so as a result of mobilisation and intimidation. Voting in East Timor is only for the national parliament, the DPR, and not for the regional assemblies of the first and second levels. Some people predict that the PDI-Struggle (of Megawati Sukarnoputri) will get the most votes. However quite a lot of voters were confused by the many parties contesting the elections. Some voters had pierced parties that were not even contesting in East Timor. (brx) END etanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetan John M. Miller Internet: etan-outreach@igc.apc.org Media & Outreach Coordinator, East Timor Action Network PO Box 150753, Brooklyn, NY 11215-0753 USA Phone: (718)596-7668 Fax: (718)222-4097 Web site: http://www.etan.org Send a blank e-mail message to timor-info@igc.apc.org to find out how to learn more about East Timor on the Internet etanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetanetan ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytpac-06.11.99-01:40:53-9623