Megawati baffled by protracted conflicts<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Chairwoman of the Indonesian Democratic Party
\n(PDI) Megawati Soekarnoputri says she is perplexed by the
\nconflicts which continue to afflict the minority party.<\/p>\n
\"Why all the conflicts when all problems could be solved
\nthrough dialogs?\" she said in Indramayu, West Java, on Tuesday,
\nwhen she inducted members of local PDI branches. Around 2,000
\nsupporters, as well as a number of officials, joined the
\nceremony.<\/p>\n
She called on all party officials at various levels to \"unite
\nand avoid conflicts which will only weaken the party,\" the Antara
\nnews agency reported.<\/p>\n
\"Please unite...what's the use of all these conflicts. I'm
\nbaffled sometimes,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Megawati said she has a policy of first asking party officials
\nin various regencies if they are willing to take on the
\nresponsibilities associated with their positions.<\/p>\n
\"If they are reluctant, they should resign,\" she said. \"PDI
\nmembers should be motivated and high-spirited as well as prepared
\nto build strong (local) organizations.\"<\/p>\n
Thirty-one of the 37 PDI branches in East Java have recently
\nasked the province's governor, Basofi Soedirman, to step in if
\nPDI headquarters in Jakarta can't resolve the leadership conflict
\nin the region.<\/p>\n
The East Java chapter of the PDI has been rocked by division
\nbetween those supporting the leadership of Megawati Soekarnoputri
\nand those who oppose her. The conflict began at a PDI congress in
\nEast Java to elect its regional leaders in January. It ended in
\ndeadlock when Megawati annulled the election and appointed her
\nown man to lead the chapter.<\/p>\n
Megawati's camp has already accused Basofi of intervening in
\nthe party's internal affairs by supporting and legitimizing her
\nopponents in East Java.<\/p>\n
Similar conflicts over leadership have occurred in several
\nother branches of the party. In West Java, for instance, the post
\nof branch chair has been empty since Djadjang Kurniadi was
\ndismissed earlier this year after the military alleged that he
\nhad past links with the outlawed Indonesian Communist Party.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, activists at the West Java branch lamented the
\nvacuum, saying the condition threatens the party's chances in the
\n1997 general elections.<\/p>\n
Sukmana Djaja, deputy chairman of the branch encompassing
\nseveral camps in West Java, said that elections should be fair
\nand involve all parties.<\/p>\n
\"This is where the role of governor, as the patron of regional
\npolitical life, is absolutely needed,\" he said as quoted by
\nAntara. \"This is why the West Java PDI members respect and
\nappreciate Governor R. Nuriana's ultimatum.\"<\/p>\n
Nuriana recently set December 1995 as the deadline for the
\nlocal chapters of PDI to solve their squabble. If they fail to
\nmeet it, he said, the West Java authorities will intervene. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/megawati-baffled-by-protracted-conflicts-1447893297",
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