Military wants PPP to end conflict and consolidate<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung
\ntold the United Development Party (PPP) yesterday to end its
\nfactional bickering and consolidate.<\/p>\n
PPP should learn from past experience that internal conflict
\nhas hindered its own development and progress, he said when
\naddressing about 800 participants of the four-day congress which
\nopened Monday.<\/p>\n
Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. also briefed the
\ncongress at the Pondok Gede Haj Dormitory, East Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"The congress should seek ways on how to end the internal
\nconflict and strengthen consolidation,\" Feisal said.<\/p>\n
Established in 1973, PPP is a fusion of four Moslem political
\norganizations Muslimin Indonesia (MI), Nahdlatul Ulama (NU),
\nPerti and Serikat Indonesia (SI). Internal conflict is usually
\ntriggered by a struggle for power among the factions.<\/p>\n
Feisal said that ABRI wanted to see PPP consolidate and
\ncontribute more to the promotion of democracy in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
ABRI, which plays a pivotal role in Indonesian politics, has
\nassured it will not interfere in the party's internal affairs.<\/p>\n
Lt. Gen. R. Hartono, chief of ABRI's social-political affairs,
\nhas assured that ABRI has no intention of pushing for any figure
\nit favors to lead the party, and promised it would welcome
\nwhoever the congress elects.<\/p>\n
Earlier rumors suggested that the military and the government
\nboth wanted to see incumbent chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum to
\nremain at the helm for another five years.<\/p>\n
Distrust<\/p>\n
Minister Yogie warned that youths' distrust of political
\norganizations may lower people's participation in future general
\nelections.<\/p>\n
Political organizations and the government should be mindful
\nof a trend among youths to mistrust them on the grounds that they
\nhave failed to address their wishes, he said.<\/p>\n
He said there was mounting pressure from young people, with
\nvisions that differ from those of the older generation, who mean
\nto introduce foreign concepts into national politics.<\/p>\n
The groups, whose numbers are growing, would not trust the
\nexisting political organizations which generally hold onto old
\nvalues, he added.<\/p>\n
\"It is possible that many of them will refuse to vote in the
\nelection,\" he said, adding that he was optimistic the
\nparticipation rate of the 1997 election would still be above 90
\npercent.<\/p>\n
Yogie argued that intensive communication with the public
\nwould allow the political organizations to absorb more of the
\npeople's aspirations and make them more meaningful.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian government sanctions three political
\norganizations, the Moslem-based PPP, the government-backed Golkar
\nand PDI (Indonesian Democratic Party) -- an amalgam of Christian
\nand nationalist forces.<\/p>\n
The minister, who controls the development of socio-political
\norganizations, criticized PPP, PDI and Golkar for not
\ncommunicating enough with each other.<\/p>\n
\"It's deplorable that they seem to refuse to communicate,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In an apparent breach of the government's pledge not to
\ninterfere in PPP's domestic affairs, Yogie suggested yesterday
\nthat the party disregard voting for its new chairman.<\/p>\n
Instead, the party should select its new leadership in the
\nspirit of musyawarah mufakat or deliberation for consensus.<\/p>\n
\"The government believes that deliberation for consensus is
\nbetter and therefore should be prioritized (over voting),\" he
\nsaid. (pan\/par)<\/p>",
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