Megawati loyalists protest<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
\nactivists loyal to Megawati Soekarnoputri staged a demonstration
\nyesterday, demanding representation in next month's election.<\/p>\n
The activists occupied large sections of Jl. Gatot Subroto
\nthoroughfare across from the House of Representatives building
\nafter troops denied them entry to the compound.<\/p>\n
The six-hour demonstration caused heavy traffic jams on Jl.
\nSudirman, Jl. Thamrin, in the Pancoran area, and along Jl. Gatot
\nSubroto.<\/p>\n
The protesters, who came from towns in Java and Sumatra,
\ndemanded a meeting with House Speaker Wahono to relay their
\nrequests to the government, but to no avail. Some 500 riot
\npolice, armed with batons and tear gas cannons, barred them from
\nentering the House compound.<\/p>\n
Military troops arrived when the fiery crowd pulled out the
\nHouse's main gate and threw it onto the street. They effectively
\nblocked the entrance.<\/p>\n
There were no reported incidents. PDI activists said about
\n20,000 people took part in the protest while Jakarta military
\nchief Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso put the number at \"less than 2,000\".
\nCautious witnesses said there were around 5,000 protesters.<\/p>\n
At least nine helicopters belonging to the Army, Navy and
\nNational Police hovered above the demonstration. Sutiyoso said
\nthe choppers were conducting a routine exercise ahead of the May
\n29 election.<\/p>\n
Five police armored vehicles secured the vicinity of the House
\ncomplex.<\/p>\n
Last year's government-backed party rebel congress in Medan
\ndethroned Megawati, daughter of the country's first president
\nSukarno, and returned Soerjadi to the party's helm.<\/p>\n
Conflict between the two factions peaked in the forceful
\ntakeover of PDI's headquarters on July 27, which left at least
\nfive people killed, 149 injured and 23 missing.<\/p>\n
The government has barred the Megawati-led PDI from running in
\nthe May 29 polls after the National Election Institute refused
\nits list of election candidates. Instead, the institute accepted
\nSoerjadi's list which excluded Megawati and her supporters.<\/p>\n
The Moslem-oriented United Development Party (PPP), Golkar and
\nthe PDI will vie for 425 of 500 House seats in the May 29
\nelection.<\/p>\n
Criticized<\/p>\n
The crowd, mostly youths dressed in red and white as well as
\nred and black, the party's dominant colors, crowded around the
\nHouse's main gate on Jl. Gatot Subroto at 8.30 a.m.<\/p>\n
They yelled in support and waved pictures of Megawati, while
\nchanting condemnation to the government-recognized PDI chairman
\nSoerjadi. A number of red banners decorated the nearby pedestrian
\nbridge.<\/p>\n
Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, a PDI legislator loyal to Megawati,
\ntried to calm the crowd. He criticized the House leadership for
\nnot allowing the protesters into the building.<\/p>\n
\"Why were they prevented from entering their own house? Is
\nthis the kind of democracy we want?\" he asked.<\/p>\n
After three hours of negotiations between demonstrators and
\nstaff of the House secretariat, 10 of Megawati's grassroot
\nsupporters read out their statement before spokesman Endang
\nParyono in place of Wahono.<\/p>\n
Coup<\/p>\n
The statement, read by Suleman, a subdistrict cadre from
\nPisangan Baru, East Jakarta, said that Megawati's supporters
\nhave properly implemented the 1997 general election process.<\/p>\n
\"On the contrary... the government had unlawfully supported
\nand encouraged a group of individuals with the mentality of
\nparasites to hold a breakaway congress in June 1996,\" it said.<\/p>\n
In the statement, Megawati's loyalists accused the government
\nof having launched \"a coup d'etat within PDI\" which had damaged
\nIndonesia's image among the international community.<\/p>\n
Soetardjo read the same statement before the crowd while the
\n10 representatives met with the House secretariat staff.<\/p>\n
Sixteen PDI legislators, including Soetardjo, Marcel Beding,
\nMegawati's husband Taufik Kiemas, her brother Guruh Soekarnoputra
\nand four members of the People's Consultative Assembly, signed
\nthe statement.<\/p>\n
Megawati's signature is not included on the list. Marcel said
\nthat \"the statement does not have anything to do with the party's
\npolicy,\" and that \"we failed to meet with Megawati to ask for her
\nsignature\".<\/p>\n
Abdul Madjid, one of the party's founding fathers, said that a
\nnumber of Megawati's sympathizers had pledged not to vote in the
\nelection, accusing the government of abusing the 1945
\nConstitution.<\/p>\n
One of the demonstration's leaders, Aziz Buang, a former city
\ncouncilor, said that Megawati loyalists had yet to plan another
\ndemonstration. \"We are waiting for our leaders' further
\ninstruction,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Slamet Supriadi slammed the
\ndemonstration, saying \"security authorities will not hesitate to
\ntake harsh measures against another demonstration\". (12\/aan\/amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/megawati-loyalists-protest-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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