Police return damaged PDI building to state<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Central Jakarta Police handed over to the state
\nyesterday the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters
\nwhich was seriously damaged in a violent clash between opposing
\nparty factions last July.<\/p>\n
The empty PDI headquarters -- with window panes shattered,
\nbroken furniture lying in the front courtyard and part of its
\nroof ripped off -- was officially handed over by chief of the
\nCentral Jakarta Police investigation department Capt. Edwardsyah
\nPernong to officials of the State Secretariat.<\/p>\n
The government, which supervises the three political groupings
\n-- the ruling Golkar, the Moslem-based United Development Party
\n(PPP) and the PDI -- provides each party with its headquarters
\nand chapter buildings.<\/p>\n
The weliverance of the headquarters was symbolically marked by
\nthe removal of a yellow police line, placed along the
\nheadquarter's fence and gate after the takeover.<\/p>\n
\"The removal of the police line marks the completion of police
\ninvestigations into the takeover and subsequent riots,\" Chief of
\nthe Central Jakarta Police Lt. Col. M. Ibrahim said in his office
\nafter the ceremony.<\/p>\n
Despite the new status the headquarters would still be guarded
\nby police officers, Ibrahim said.<\/p>\n
\"People should not even try to enter the headquarters because
\nwe will arrest them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Ibrahim said the State Secretariat would renovate the
\nheadquarters; the project should be completed within two months.<\/p>\n
The building was violently taken over by people claiming to be
\nsupporters of government-backed PDI chairman Soerjadi from the
\nhands of supporters of overthrown party chairwoman Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri on July 27.<\/p>\n
The move sparked mass rioting which left five dead, over 100
\ninjured and 23 others still reportedly missing.<\/p>\n
The government now only recognizes Soerjadi, who was elected
\nat a congress organized by party dissenters in the North Sumatra
\ncapital of Medan last June.<\/p>\n
Megawati was elected by popular vote in the party's
\nextraordinary congress in Surabaya in 1993. She has repeatedly
\ninsisted she remains the lawful leader, at least pending the
\ncourt's decision on her lawsuit against the rebel party congress.<\/p>\n
Officials of the general election institute have barred
\nMegawati's faction from participating in the general elections,
\nslated for May 29 this year.<\/p>\n
The national election institute rejected in September
\nMegawati's list of legislature candidates for the May election;
\nit accepted Soerjadi's list, instead.<\/p>\n
Authorities have since closed down the temporary headquarters
\nestablished by Megawati's camp in Condet, East Jakarta. Her
\nfaction now runs the party's routine activities from her
\nresidence in Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta. (jun\/imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-return-damaged-pdi-building-to-state-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}