Military urges PDI to solve conflict through dialog<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Armed Forces (ABRI) has appealed to the
\nbickering camps within the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) to
\nresolve their differences through dialog.<\/p>\n
Maj. Gen. Syarwan Hamid, assistant to ABRI's chief of socio-
\npolitical affairs, said on Tuesday that no outsiders could
\nresolve the row that has been raging within the party.<\/p>\n
The party leaders themselves should get together and resolve
\ntheir differences through dialog and consensus, Syarwan, who was
\nspeaking during a working visit to Palembang, South Sumatra,
\nsaid, Antara reported. \"It is essentially the party's internal
\nmatter,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ideally, all leaders in the party should have a common
\nperception and avoid conflicts, he said, underlining that these
\nleaders hold the key to PDI's problems.<\/p>\n
ABRI has no intention of intervening in the party's conflict,
\nhe said, stressing that the military's role is restricted to
\nensuring security and stability.<\/p>\n
The leadership of PDI chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri has
\nbeen undermined by massive dissensions among the party's rank and
\nfile in various parts of the country in recent months.<\/p>\n
One of her chief critics, Jusuf Merukh, has even formed a
\nrival executive board and has been campaigning to woo the party's
\nrank and file in the region.<\/p>\n
The conflict in East Java has reached such a point that the
\nlocal administration has even prevented her from visiting the
\nregion to meet with her supporters, citing that her presence
\nthere could stir trouble.<\/p>\n
The East Java military has endorsed the administration's
\nmoves, risking accusations that the authorities were giving
\nsupport to Megawati's opponents.<\/p>\n
Megawati said on Monday she is still hoping that she be
\nallowed to meet with her supporters in East Java and to appoint
\nthe chairman of the party's East Java chapter. However, she
\nstressed that she would not go there unless it was cleared by the
\nlocal authorities, according to a Kompas report.<\/p>\n
\"I like to think positively and that one day the permit will
\nbe issued,\" she said. \"If you ask me how long I'm prepared to
\nwait, then I'll say that I will be patient. But I'm not going to
\nbreak the law. The verb doesn't exist in my vocabulary.\"<\/p>\n
Megawati said her office will continue to try to obtain the
\nauthorized clearance for her to visit East Java.<\/p>\n
Last month the police in the East Java town of Kediri
\nprevented her from addressing a meeting of PDI supporters. Last
\nweek, Megawati's plan to travel to Surabaya to install the new
\nboard of PDI's East Java chapter was aborted after the local
\nadministration said it would not issue a permit for the ceremony.
\n(emb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/military-urges-pdi-to-solve-conflict-through-dialog-1447893297",
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