Subject: IN/POL: KMP - Calls for New PDI Council Guidelines
INDONESIA-P
X-within-URL: http://www.kompas.com/9607/10/ENGLISH/call.htm
Kompas Online
_________________________________________________________________
Wednesday, 10 Juli 1996
_________________________________________________________________
PDI Congress Secretary General Buttu Hutapea
CALLS FOR NEW PDI COUNCIL GUIDELINES
Jakarta, Kompas
New guidelines for the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) will soon be
issued in efforts to refine the old party rules and regulations,
incumbent PDI secretary general Buttu R. Hutapea told Kompas on
Tuesday (9/7).
The four PDI principles espouse support for the New Order, the dual
function of ABRI, President Soeharto's leadership and an active
participation in national development. The new list of PDI legislative
candidates is also due to submitted in early August 1996.
Buttu clearly stated that only those people who supported the
controversial Medan congress (20-22 June) could be nominated. Protests
from the Bali branch over the congress have continued. In a political
statement PDI Bali threatened to withdraw from all election committees
if forced to accept the outcome of the Medan congress. Chairman of PDI
in Bali, Ida Bagus Putu Wesnawa, told the press that the Bali branch
of PDI only accepted the outcome of the 1993 congress and the
leadership of Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Ida stressed that PDI Bali would not boycott the election but would
rather withdraw from all election committee proceedings.
Support for Megawati continues to flood in. Former Foreign Affairs
Minister (1953-1955) Prof Soenario (94) and one of the founders of the
Indonesian National Party (PNI) along with Sukarno, visited the PDI
office. He arrival solicited cheers from the crowd.
"The presence of our elder, Pak Soenario, represents a show of moral
support for Megawati to uphold democracy. Even at his age he is
concerned let alone those of us who are still young," said Marsoesi
from PDI.
Not only has there been a show of moral support but over Rp 50 million
has been collected from all echelons of society - from the lower class
to conglomerates. Food and beverages have also been sent.
Members of the PDI fraction also issued an official statement to
security forces protesting about the abrupt intrusion of security
force personnel when PDI members were singing the Indonesian National
Anthem on July 6.
Nationwide
In Solo a meeting was held to nominate the new leadership team. Rifts
between the two divisions were clear. As the new leader, Slamet
Suryanto explained that much of deception had gone on in relation to
the Medan congress.
In Surabaya about 1,500 pro-Megawati supporters took to the streets
asking for forgiveness to the society as a whole and PDI sympathizers
in particular. They demanded that the chief of social and political
section of the East Java office Soerjadi Setiawan apologize for his
statement which accused PDI officers of acting in the same manner as
the banned Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).
"On behalf of 100,000 PDI officers in Surabaya, Pacitan, Ponorogo,
Trenggalek, Kediri, Malang, Jember and other areas in East Java, we
demand Soerjadi apologize and resign," said one of the PDI protesters.
Deputy chairman of PDI East Java (pre-congress) Sayuti PDI supporters
will not resort to brutality or anarchy. "From the outset we have
rejected the results of the congress and the underhand manipulation
which lead to Soerjadi's leadership," he stated.
In Central Sulawesi PDI district chairman H. Abdul Manaf Latjambo
declared that outsiders should not interfere with the internal
politics of PDI. Manaf, who attended the Medan congress, said people
became involved only as a means to voice their own aspirations.
Meanwhile, about 60 pro-Megawati activists partook in a long march
through Palu, rejecting the outcome of the Medan congress.
In Medan students gathered outside of the North Sumatran parliament
office in efforts meet with parliament members and state their regret
over the outcome of the congress.
In Bali, about 200 residents of Sukawati, Gianyar dedicated a prayer
to the confusion which reigned in PDI. They asked all national
leaders, ABRI officers and PDI leaders to think clearly in order to
put an end to the crisis. The group prayer was organized by
pro-Megawati sympathizer.
One of the members of the group Wayan Subawa said that if their
prayers were not heard they would decline to vote in the 1997
election. "Don't blame us if we abuse our rights but we are tired of
all the political manipulation such as that which has plagued PDI," he
said.