Deadly clashes erupt after Indonesia election results announced

World Today

Police in Jakarta are trying to restore calm after deadly clashes left at least 6 people dead and more than 200 wounded.

Opponents of Indonesia’s President, Joko Widodo, are angry that he won last month’s presidential election.

The election result is being challenged in more ways than one. CGTN’s Silkina Ahluwalia reports.

Jakarta on high alert as protests erupt.

Authorities put Jakarta on high alert as protestors took to the streets after receiving word of April’s official election results.

Prabowo Subianto’s supporters gathered in front of the Election Supervisory Agency’s office on Wednesday to demand a complete recount of the presidential election results, which shows Joko Widodo winning 55 percent of the votes.

“The most constitutional option for both parties is to accept the results as it is because everyone who enters a competition should be ready to win and to lose. Prabowo’s team should address their loss in a professional manner. He should use his authority to encourage the country to come together as one and support the winning party,” constitutional studies expert Feri Amsari said.

But, that isn’t the reality. Prabowo has challenged the results and brought his case to the Constitutional Court.

The process might take more than a month, in which experts say will be a sensitive period for Indonesia.

Authorities have deployed 30,000 personnel in areas where crowds are expected to continue to gather until the May 25.

Political figures are urging the public to continue to remain calm and unified and most importantly to not provoke each other.

In order to stop fake news from circulating on social media, the Indonesian government has partially blocked applications such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

In a speech on Wednesday, President Joko Widodo asked the public to maintain a strong sense of togetherness during this time.

“We will not give any space for rioters who try to damage our country, to damage the state of unity of the Republic of Indonesia,” he said.

The priority now is to keep Indonesia safe from threats of violence and terrorism… and to stop creating further conflict and tension.