Parkindo goes ahead with its congress<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Christian Participation
\nassociation (Parkindo) went ahead with its congress over the
\nweekend, despite of the absence of government officials and
\nleaders of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).<\/p>\n
Earlier, Parkindo's planned congress caused controversy
\nbecause it was widely seen as a resurrection of the old
\nIndonesian Christian Party, also abbreviated as \"Parkindo\", which
\nwas merged along with four other parties in 1973 to become the
\nPDI.<\/p>\n
The three-day congress, which is being held in Caringin sub-
\ndistrict, Bogor, is scheduled to conclude tomorrow.<\/p>\n
Chaired by Sabam Sirait, a legislator representing the PDI
\nfaction, Parkindo, was founded by former leaders and supporters
\nof the old party on Nov. 29 two years ago, and was registered as
\na mass organization with the government last February.<\/p>\n
However, it has only recently made its presence felt by the
\npublic, together with several newly-established organizations,
\nall with the proclaimed objective of protecting the nation.<\/p>\n
Another organization formed last month calls itself Indonesian
\nNational Unity (PNI). It was formed by a group of people
\nidentified with the Indonesian Nationalist Party, the initials of
\nwhich were also \"PNI\", one of the parties that merged into the
\nPDI in 1973.<\/p>\n
Sabam Sirait did manage to secure some sort of official
\nblessing for the congress with the presence of Sudomo, the
\nchairman of the Supreme Advisory Council, for a seminar held by
\nParkindo simultaneously with its congress.<\/p>\n
But PDI chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, who was also
\nscheduled to address the seminar, was not present. Even PDI
\nSecretary-General Alex Litaay, who is an executive of Parkindo,
\nfailed to show up to the congress' opening on Friday night.<\/p>\n
In his keynote address to the seminar on Saturday, Sudomo said
\nthat the proliferation of new organizations is contributing to
\nthe development of democracy in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He underlined, however, of the need for all organizations to
\nstay within the relevant laws.<\/p>\n
Sudomo also cautioned the new organizations against fostering
\nsectarian politics in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"It will be a setback for the nation and for our development
\nif these new organizations are promoting primordial ways of
\nthinking and attitudes,\" Sudomo said.<\/p>\n
The Parkindo congress organizers secured their permit to hold
\nthe gathering only at the last minute. Sabam had earlier tried,
\nunsuccessfully, to have the congress opened by President Soeharto
\nor Vice President Try Sutrisno. (31)<\/p>",
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