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July 9, 2014

Rival Claims Victory over General in Indonesia Vote; Journalist Faces Charges over Damning Report 
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In Indonesia, Jakarta Gov. Joko Widodo is claiming victory over rival
presidential candidate, former army general Prabowo Subianto. Polls show
Widodo, known as "Jokowi," has a several-point lead, but official
results will not be known until after July 20. The American journalist
Allan Nairn reported this week Indonesian forces tied to Prabowo have
waged a campaign to rig the election in his favor, including "ballot
tampering, street violence, and threats" against rivals. Prabowo,
trained by the United States, has been accused of mass killings when he
headed the Indonesian special forces in the 1990s. He was dismissed from
the army in 1998 following accusations of complicity in the abduction
and torture of activists. Nairn's reporting on Prabowo became a major
issue in the campaign. Prabowo has filed criminal charges against Nairn,
including inciting hatred against the Indonesian military. Indonesia's
presidential vote will mark its first-ever transfer of power from one
elected leader to another.

 

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