Feisal wants free speech rallies banned<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Citing potential insurrection, the military will
\nsoon ban the free speech rallies being held in support of the
\nousted chief of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Feisal Tanjung said
\nyesterday that the rallies at the PDI headquarters in Jakarta
\nwere disrupting public order, and had grown into
\n\"unconstitutional\" gatherings.<\/p>\n
\"There have been indications that the rallies have been used
\nby speakers to attack the government,\" he said, adding that the
\nspeakers at the rallies \"planned to overthrow the government\".<\/p>\n
\"You can see it from their statements and the contents of
\nbanners which hang outside the party's headquarters,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Feisal said the speakers had ignored ethics. \"Their speeches
\ndid not reflect Indonesian values. The jargon that they used was
\nsimilar to the terms used by the outlawed Indonesian Communist
\nParty,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The general said that the supporters, who were outraged by the
\ngovernment-backed rebel congress which unseated Megawati, should
\nhave channeled their complaints through the House of
\nRepresentatives rather than taking their criticism to streets or
\nby holding the free speech rallies.<\/p>\n
He said the rallies had disturbed the next door office of the
\nUnited Development Party (PPP), which has lodged a formal
\ncomplaint against the rallies.<\/p>\n
Megawati defended the rallies yesterday, saying that they were
\na spontaneous response towards the rebel congress in Medan. But
\nshe called on her supporters to continue the rallies.<\/p>\n
\"They are an open and democratic forum for PDI members and
\nsupporters to channel their political aspirations,\" Megawati told
\na press conference at the party's headquarters yesterday.<\/p>\n
She said that cutting off the supporters only political
\nchannel would force them back onto the streets.<\/p>\n
She denied that her supporters had planned to attack the
\ngovernment in their speeches.<\/p>\n
\"I really love this country. It has never occurred to me to
\npersuade my supporters to topple the government,\" she said.
\nBesides, \"it would be impossible for me to plan such an action
\nbecause I'm always watched wherever and whenever I go,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Megawati dismissed Feisal's accusation that her supporters'
\nspeeches were unethical, using words resembling the old slogans
\nof the outlawed communist party.<\/p>\n
\"The ABRI chief should not have hastily slapped a PKI
\n(communist) label on (my) supporters,\" she said. \"An open dialog
\nmust be held to find out whether there's ground for that
\naccusation.\"<\/p>\n
The free speech rallies have been held regularly in front of
\nthe PDI's headquarters since an agreement between the Jakarta
\nregional military command and Megawati supporters took effect
\nlast month. They agreed that the supporters would no longer take
\nto the streets if the military allowed them to hold public
\nmeetings at the party's headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro No. 58 in
\nCentral Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The agreement was made after 8,000 Megawati supporters took
\npart in a street rally on June 20 which ended in a clash with
\nsecurity forces. The clash left 100 people injured on both sides.<\/p>\n
The supporters have basically adhered to the agreement,
\nalthough they have taken to the streets several times to protest.
\nThe supporters normally gather at the party's headquarters to
\nsing patriotic songs, listen to speeches, wave placards and
\nunfurl banners critical of the government and the military.
\n(imn)<\/p>\n
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