Govt backing of PDI breakaways criticized<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government has once again become the target
\nof criticism from political observers for its backing of the
\ndissenters in the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).<\/p>\n
Frans Seda, a former cabinet minister and former chairman of a
\nCatholic party which was merged into the PDI in 1973, said the
\ngovernment should not have interfered in the party's internal
\ndisputes by favoring one camp over the other.<\/p>\n
\"The government should have been wiser. It should have helped
\nsettle the internal rift in the PDI,\" he said here yesterday. \"It
\nshouldn't have approved the request of the breakaway camp to hold
\na congress.<\/p>\n
\"Convening a congress in the middle of the country's
\npreparations for a general election is bound to disappoint
\npeople, especially PDI members,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In Bandung, West Java, chairman of the Nusantara Legal Aid
\nFoundation Effendi Saman also criticized the government for its
\nstance, which he said benefited one camp at the expense of the
\nother.<\/p>\n
Effendi called on the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), as
\nthe highest legislative body, to help mediate in the dispute. \"If
\nthe party's dispute cannot be settled before June next year, the
\n1997 general election will be rendered invalid and
\nunconstitutional,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Led by deputy chair Fatimah Achmad, 16 members of the party's
\nexecutive board established a congress committee last Tuesday,
\nclaiming that they were acting on the request of 215 of the 306
\nbranches across the country.<\/p>\n
The PDI central board said that only 103 branches had demanded
\nthe congress and a fresh election of the leader. The embattled
\nchief, Megawati Soekarnoputri, has rejected the call for a
\ncongress because it has no legal grounds.<\/p>\n
However, the government, through the Ministry of Home Affairs,
\nhas already approved the request, claiming it was made by a
\nmajority of the party's members.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, those who are for the congress and those against it
\nare still at loggerheads.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, Minister of Defense and Security Gen. (ret) Edi
\nSudradjat reiterated ABRI's stance that convening a congress was
\nacceptable as long as it complied with the party's statutes, and
\ndid not disturb the country's security.<\/p>\n
\"What's important is that the congress doesn't disrupt next
\nyear's general election, or the country's security and unity,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said the party's problems should have been resolved in a
\ndemocratic way. \"The two camps should avoid confrontation and
\nfind an amicable solution to their problem,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Andi Parenrengi Tanri, a senior PDI member in Ujungpandang,
\nSouth Sulawesi, said yesterday that the only forum for settling
\nthe dispute would be the planned congress.<\/p>\n
The splinter group is currently evaluating four cities as
\npossible venue for the congress: Palangkaraya in Central
\nKalimantan, Medan in North Sumatra, Bukittinggi in West Sumatra
\nand Manado in North Sulawesi. (imn\/01\/17\/20)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-backing-of-pdi-breakaways-criticized-1447893297",
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