Govt must solve PDI conflict<\/p>\n
By Johannes Nugroho<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The prolonged internal conflict in the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) hovers over President B.J.
\nHabibie's revamped court like a shadow from the past as his
\ngovernment has chosen to remain at loggerheads with the party's
\nousted leader, Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Amid the government's publicly pledged fervor for reform,
\nhowever short-lived it was or may turn out to be, various
\nanalysts have been dumbfounded by the present administration's
\ndogged refusal to recognize Megawati's political legitimacy and
\nsovereignty as leader of PDI.<\/p>\n
Megawati, a daughter of first Indonesian president Sukarno,
\nwas ousted at a congress allegedly sponsored by former president
\nSoeharto's New Order government in 1996, which then elected
\nSoerjadi as the party's chairman.<\/p>\n
The Habibie government's foot-dragging on getting to the
\nbottom of the matter suggests more skeletons in the closet.<\/p>\n
If anything else, the recalcitrant handling of PDI's
\n\"externally imposed\" conflict goes to prove the degree of
\npolitical reform the nation has actually undergone. Habibie's
\nadministration is, despite the newfound freedom of expression,
\nessentially congruent with the toppled New Order government.
\nMutations on the edges in the form of civil liberties do not
\ncount for much.<\/p>\n
Habibie's administration, choked with recycled products of
\nSoeharto's era, has proved to be dormant, crypto-Soehartoist. Its
\npractitioners may not necessarily harbor any ambitions in
\nbringing Soeharto back to power but they, being true derivatives
\nof Soehartoism, consciously or subconsciously still employ the
\nsame backhanded methods to conserve their positions.<\/p>\n
Former Armed Forces (ABRI) commander Feisal Tanjung, in one of
\nhis brusque replies to questions on his alleged involvement in
\nthe bloody takeover of PDI's headquarters by Soerjadi's followers
\nfrom Megawati's on July 27, 1996, said: \"You all know how it was
\nduring Soeharto's times. Let bygones be bygones.\"<\/p>\n
In this statement alone, Feisal, who is now coordinating
\nminister for security and political affairs, unwittingly admitted
\nhis involvement or at least knowledge of the government-
\norchestrated attack at the headquarters in Central Jakarta. By
\nreminding us of the horrors of Soeharto's era, he has also
\nidentified himself as one of those belonging to the \"bygone\" era
\nwho has managed to smoothly find his way into the supposedly
\n\"reformed\" administration with a strategic portfolio position in
\nthe Cabinet.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid, a former ABRI chief for
\nsocial and political affairs who was alleged to have meddled in
\nPDI's internal affairs, was installed as minister of home affairs
\nafter leaving his position as deputy speaker for the ABRI faction
\nat the House of Representatives (DPR)\/People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR).<\/p>\n
He apparently cultivated his belated reformist inclinations
\nwhen he joined MPR leaders to demand Soeharto's resignation from
\nthe presidency in May.<\/p>\n
With five high-ranking generals (including the aforementioned
\ntwo) fingered by Megawati's faction as the culprits in the July
\n27, 1996, tragedy, it is becoming evident that ABRI was deeply
\ninvolved in the scandalous affair. This also means that ABRI has
\nlengthened its list of cases that have to be dismantled, which
\nalso includes the shooting of Trisakti University students last
\nMay, the involvement of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) in
\nthe abduction of political activists earlier this year, which is
\nstill under investigation, and the massive killing of rally
\nparticipants at Tanjung Priok in North Jakarta in 1984.<\/p>\n
Considering the probable intercorrelations among all the
\ncases, Megawati's insistence on the truth might steer the way to
\nthe unearthing of all the malice of the New Order administration
\nand the crypto-Soehartoists hiding behind the safety of the word
\n\"reform\". Coupled with Soerjadi's alleged willingness to \"sing\"
\nto the police, the PDI question has become a thorn in ABRI's
\nside.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, it is likely that many of these crypto-
\nSoehartoists are still unable to forgive Megawati for having
\nrevolted and rejected their political orchestra. Megawati, one of
\nthe Soeharto regime's most formidable opponents, was the first
\npublic figure to snub the establishment by suing government
\nofficials and even the President over the PDI political sabotage,
\nand, to make matters worse, she \"got away\" with it. The
\ngovernment dared not touch Megawati owing to the scope of her
\nfollowers and the international exposure she astutely captured.<\/p>\n
Most importantly, ABRI's efforts to hinder Megawati from
\nreaching full political legitimacy may have to do with its
\nambivalent attitude toward the civilian politician, who once
\npublicly declared her disapproval of a strong military presence
\nwithin the administration. As far as ABRI is concerned,
\nMegawati's rise to power might jeopardize its privileged,
\nstrategic as well as unconstitutional politicized position. ABRI
\nis also concerned that the modern state that Megawati has
\nproposed will exclude ABRI from the decision-making process and
\nrelegate them to a body of order-taking soldiers.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, in the midst of the wrangling over PDI's status
\nand whether the government ought to recognize Megawati's
\nleadership over PDI, it is Megawati herself who benefits. As a
\npersecuted political leader with a large number of followers,
\naffirmed by a just cause, she has received unanimous support from
\nthe media. The phenomenal press coverage of her cause and the
\ninjustice that the government keeps inflicting upon the PDI have
\ndone nothing but enhance her political stature and legitimacy in
\nthe eyes of the electorate.<\/p>\n
In due course, the government's attempt to sabotage her
\npolitical rise has boomeranged; as a result Megawati has been
\ngiven a free sympathetic portrayal in the media. Her resilience
\nand dignified flawlessness have been the hallmarks of her
\npolitical maturity. Indeed she has emerged triumphant from the
\nsuperimposed calamity.<\/p>\n
It is of urgent necessity that the government submit the
\nrightful recognition which Megawati abundantly deserves. It is of
\nmore importance that the matter be resolved before the coming
\ngeneral election scheduled for May next year. A failure by the
\ngovernment to unknot the dilemma could result in another boycott
\nby the Megawati faction in a supposedly democratic ballot, a
\nhighly paradoxical scenario.<\/p>\n
The declaration of \"solidarity\", and even the suggestion of a
\n\"coalition\", between the People's Awakening Party newly
\nestablished by leaders of the largest Moslem organization
\nNahdlatul Ulama (NU) and Megawati's PDI signal NU's stance on the
\nissue. NU, as the country's largest organization, will not
\ntolerate further injustice toward Megawati's PDI.<\/p>\n
It has also transpired that the international community wishes
\nto see Megawati restored to her former position and given a fair
\nchance to pursue her political career. Even though the
\ninternational community has not been vocal on this particular
\ndomestic issue, the number of foreign diplomats who have had an
\naudience with Megawati exposes their concern.<\/p>\n
The United States has so far treated Habibie's administration
\nwith suppressed caution, marked by the postponement of a meeting
\nbetween Habibie and President Bill Clinton. U.S. Secretary of
\nDefense William Cohen, on a recent visit to Jakarta, revealed
\nthat the U.S. government was in favor of \"political reform\", a
\nsubtle hint that there is still some \"unfinished business\".<\/p>\n
Bearing in mind that Megawati has been magnanimous about
\nSoeharto, it is unlikely that Megawati will continue with a
\npersonal vendetta against the government if it is prepared to
\nreveal the truth. It would be damaging to her own image if
\nMegawati decided to pursue the culprits ruthlessly after
\nrecognition was given.<\/p>\n
In the face of mounting pressure to publicly recognize
\nMegawati's leadership of the PDI, the government and ABRI are
\nleft with no choice but to bow to the pressure. The persistent
\nobstructions against Megawati have backfired, allowing her to
\ngrow in stature and political maturity.<\/p>\n
In the lead up to what hopefully will be the first democratic
\nelection since 1955, the PDI's status must be settled for once
\nand for all. Further resistance and recalcitrance would be
\npolitical suicide for the present administration and ABRI.<\/p>\n
The writer works at the International Language Program,
\nSurabaya.<\/p>\n
Window: It is of urgent necessity that the government submit the
\nrightful recognition which Megawati abundantly deserves. It is of
\nmore importance that the matter be resolved before the coming
\ngeneral election scheduled for May next year.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-must-solve-pdi-conflict-1447893297",
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