Golkar under attack, warns of reprisals<\/p>\n
SURABAYA (JP): Golkar supporters were harassed for the second
\ntime in two days as they attempted to attend a political rally on
\nSunday, and the ruling party's chairman Akbar Tandjung warned it
\nwould not remain passive if the attacks continued.<\/p>\n
Dozens of trucks carrying Golkar supporters from Probolinggo
\nwere stopped at the Waru toll road gate by supporters wearing
\nred-colored clothing of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan).<\/p>\n
Akbar, visibly upset by the incident, said at the rally at the
\n10 November Stadium that Golkar had asked the local security
\nauthorities to ensure safe passage for the supporters.<\/p>\n
\"They could not do much. They even told our supporters to go
\nhome,\" said Akbar, who is also the minister\/state secretary.<\/p>\n
The attacks showed that some political parties were not ready
\nfor democracy, he said.<\/p>\n
He told about 80,000 supporters who made it to the stadium
\nthat Golkar would not retaliate and would pursue legal channels
\nover the harassment.<\/p>\n
\"It's not that we're afraid. We love peace. Golkar loves
\nunity. But if this continues, we shall rise. We shall rise
\nagainst evil forces,\" Akbar said.<\/p>\n
On Friday, Golkar supporters were pelted, again by people
\nwearing PDI Perjuangan attributes, as they tried to attend the
\nparty's rally in the Central Java town of Purbalingga.<\/p>\n
Akbar recalled the incident in his speech on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\"Golkar will not stand for this inhumane treatment. In
\nPurbalingga, the car I was in was pelted. My adjutant was
\ninjured. The women were told to remove their (Golkar) shirts.\"<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan officials have denied their supporters were
\nresponsible for the attacks on Golkar members.<\/p>\n
Witnesses said there were brief skirmishes between Golkar
\nsupporters and their assailants at the end of the Waru toll road,
\nbut police were quick to quell the clashes.<\/p>\n
There were no reports of injury.<\/p>\n
The rest of Surabaya was tightly guarded by police, soldiers,
\nmembers of the Kamra militia and Golkar's own security forces.<\/p>\n
Many Golkar supporters shied away from wearing the party's
\nyellow T-shirts, covering them behind a jacket or putting them in
\nbags to be donned later.<\/p>\n
Some of those who attended from out of town said they were
\npaid between Rp 10,000 and Rp 25,000 to take part.<\/p>\n
Akbar spent the long Easter weekend on the campaign trail for
\n\"political education\" for Golkar. His entourage included fellow
\nmembers of the Cabinet such as Theo Sambuaga and Coordinating
\nMinister for People's Welfare Hayono Suyono, and chairman of the
\nSupreme Advisory Council A.A. Baramuli. Prominent businessman
\nFadel Muhammad also participated.<\/p>\n
It was not immediately clear whether the involvement of the
\nministers breached the newly announced electoral code of conduct.<\/p>\n
The General Elections Commission ruled last week that parties
\ncannot enlist the services of current Cabinet ministers in their
\nelection campaign. The Supreme Court, at the request of President
\nB.J. Habibie, ruled, however, that the final say on the matter
\nlay with the President. The election commission ignored the
\nSupreme Court ruling and said its rule prevailed. (nur\/emb)<\/p>",
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