PDI public forums defended as legitimate<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Observers are applauding the supporters of
\nousted Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) leader Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri for vowing to continue their public forums despite
\nthe military's campaign to have them stopped.<\/p>\n
Political observer Arbi Sanit and human rights campaigner
\nHendardi have agreed that the forums are a legal arena through
\nwhich Megawati supporters can express their political
\naspirations. \"It's an effective means for them,\" Arbi said.<\/p>\n
Arbi, a staff lecturer at the University of Indonesia's School
\nof Social and Political Sciences, said the forums were \"fair
\ncompensation\" for the government's and the military's support for
\nSoerjadi, Megawati's rival.<\/p>\n
\"The Armed Forces shouldn't have tried to ban the free speech
\nforums...the move will tarnish the Armed Forces' image further,\"
\nArbi said.<\/p>\n
The government and the military last month backed the PDI
\nrebel congress in Medan, North Sumatra, which toppled Megawati
\nand elected Soerjadi as the new PDI chairman.<\/p>\n
This caused waves of demonstrations in several cities which
\nwere supported mostly by young people and activists of non-
\ngovernmental organizations. One protest in Jakarta, which
\ninvolved 8,000 Megawati supporters, ended in a clash with
\nsecurity forces, leaving dozens injured.<\/p>\n
After this incident on June 20, the Jakarta regional military
\ncommand and Megawati's camp made an agreement: the Megawati
\nsupporters would no longer take to the streets if the military
\nallowed them to hold free meetings at the party's headquarters at
\nnumber 58, Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The supporters have basically adhered to the agreement,
\nalthough they have on several occasions taken to the streets in
\nprotest. They normally gather at the party's headquarters to sing
\npatriotic songs, listen to speeches, wave placards and unfurl
\nbanners critical of the government and the military.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, Armed Forces Chief for Sociopolitical Affairs Lt.
\nGen. Syarwan Hamid said the meetings should be stopped because
\nthe speeches at them indicated a campaign to overthrow the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
\"There seem to be efforts to garner forces to revolt,\" Antara
\nquoted him as saying. \"The activities in the forums have showed
\nsigns of violating the law. The forums are illegal.\"<\/p>\n
He cited the call for a major three-day strike, which occurred
\nin Surabaya, as an example of such violations.<\/p>\n
\"The Armed Forces want these activities to stop,\" he said,
\nadding that the National Police and the Attorney General's office
\nwould be the agencies responsible for stopping the forums.<\/p>\n
\"But please stop before any legal action is taken,\" he said.
\n\"The Armed Forces don't see the free forum activists as enemies.\"<\/p>\n
Several politically well-connected youth organizations,
\nincluding Pemuda Pancasila and Pemuda Panca Marga, are also
\ndemanding that the forums stop.<\/p>\n
Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, a Megawati loyalist, said that
\nMegawati supporters' activities were still \"normal\" and
\nacceptable. And all activities were held spontaneously by
\nsupporters. They were not organized by Megawati's central board.<\/p>\n
Separately, Hendardi said the public meetings should be seen
\nas a legal means for Megawati supporters to fight the party's
\nrebel executives.<\/p>\n
\"It's the only available way for them to settle the party's
\ncrisis since the government has cut off formal channels, namely
\nthrough the parliament,\" he said in a statement yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"Those speeches show that Megawati is gaining even greater
\nsupport from the majority of PDI grassroots members...while
\nSoerjadi only enjoys the support of the government and the Armed
\nForces, not the PDI members,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The party activists supporting Soerjadi said yesterday that
\nthey were in a process of \"consolidation\" by holding regional
\nchapter conferences.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the Central Kalimantan chapter of PDI,
\nMetropole B. Djanguk, said over the weekend that his chapter was
\norganizing a series of special conferences among local branches.
\nThe meetings were meant to \"disseminate the results of the Medan
\ncongress,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The special conferences are needed to disseminate the results
\nof the Medan congress, to establish uniform perception among
\nlocal party functionaries,\" Metropole was quoted by Antara as
\nsaying in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Metropole, who led the Central Kalimantan delegation to the
\nMedan congress, said the special conferences were also to prepare
\nlists of PDI candidate legislators for next year's general
\nelection.<\/p>\n
In Bandung, West Java, some 200 Megawati supporters tried, but
\nfailed, to attend a public forum at Gasibu Park. Hundreds of
\nsecurity officers prevented them from assembling in the park and
\nat the PDI chapter office in Jl. Soekarno-Hatta. Security
\npersonnel arrested six of the activists. (imn\/17\/16)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pdi-public-forums-defended-as-legitimate-1447893297",
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