Indonesian Elections Protest

This picture from the front page of the Mail & Guardian (August 6, 12:31pm) is a powerful statement I am sure you would agree.

The M&G caption reads: "Digging deep a supporter of defeated Indonesian presidential candidate Megawati Sukarnoputri buries himself in Jakarta on Thursday as part of a protest demanding a new election."

The Indonesian Elections Commission refused to allow a re-run of the presidential elections even though several candidates argued that the elections were not free and fair, according to the Jakarta Globe.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono won more than 60% of the vote and was, consequently, re-elected without run-off.

Megawati Sukarnoputri, the leader of the opposition party PDI-P, is contesting this outcome. She was Indonesia's first female president and was in office from July 23 through October 2004.

She is also the daughter of Indonesia's first president, Sukarno.

The PDI-P garnered 14% of the vote in the 2009 legislative election. This means that the PDI-P will have 95 seats in the People's Representative Council.

The PDI-P follows the official Indonesian national philosophy/ideology known as Pancasila.

Onward!

M&G Picture Credit
Sukarnoputri Picture Credit