Police to issue permit for PDI congress<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): National Police chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi said
\nyesterday he would soon issue a permit for the government-backed
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction led by Soerjadi to hold
\na congress, in Palu, Central Sulawesi, later this month.<\/p>\n
Roesmanhadi said the decision to grant the permit was merely a
\nof the government's official recognition of Soerjadi's
\nleadership.<\/p>\n
\"There is no problem. The police will issue the permit,\"
\nRoesmanhadi said after attending a ceremony at the State Palace
\nwhere President B.J. Habibie conferred some of the country's
\nhighest honors on 38 public figures.<\/p>\n
In a meeting with Soerjadi and 11 colleagues Thursday, Habibie
\npromised to fly to Palu to open the five-day congress on Aug. 25.<\/p>\n
Habibie also assured Soerjadi that his government only
\nrecognized him as the legitimate PDI leader despite mounting
\npublic pressure on him not to imitate his predecessor Soeharto's
\nstance on the political party's leadership friction.<\/p>\n
\"Habibie has hurt the people's feelings,\" Soerjadi's rival,
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri, commented about the decision.<\/p>\n
Soerjadi ousted Megawati, the eldest daughter of the country's
\nfounding father Sukarno, from the PDI chairmanship in a
\ngovernment-engineered congress in June 1996. Megawati claims that
\nher five-year term does not end until December.<\/p>\n
Only one month after toppling her, Soerjadi's supporters
\nstormed the party headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta
\nin a bloody incident.<\/p>\n
After replacing Soeharto in May, Habibie's government has
\nshown a more sympathetic attitude toward Megawati. The government
\ndid not try to stop a leadership meeting Megawati organized in
\nDepok last week.<\/p>\n
Megawati, however, has repeatedly turned down Habibie's
\ninvitation for a meeting.<\/p>\n
Megawati's supporters have sworn not to allow Soerjadi to hold
\nhis congress and have threatened to use all possible measures to
\nhalt the plan.<\/p>\n
Megawati's camp is scheduled to hold its own congress in
\nYogyakarta or Bali in October.<\/p>\n
Megawati's supporters from the Jakarta PDI branch went to the
\nNational Police headquarters yesterday to demand the police ban
\nSoerjadi from holding the congress.<\/p>\n
Jacob Nuwa Wea said the planned congress had no legal grounds
\nbecause the congress in Medan had not been legal either. The
\nSupreme Court has yet to issue a verdict on Megawati's suit
\nagainst the Medan congress.<\/p>\n
The group met with Deputy National Police chief for
\nIintelligence Affairs Brig. Gen. Atok Sunarto, who then promised
\nto give the ban request further consideration. This meeting took
\nplace at 10.45 a.m., 45 minutes after Roesmanhadi made his
\nannouncement.<\/p>\n
\"Up until now the government still recognizes PDI under
\nSooerjadi as the legal party. So we have to stick with that. But
\nof course we would inform the National Police chief about this
\nrequest,\" Atok said.<\/p>\n
Jacob said: \"If (Soerjadi's camp) inists on running the
\ncongress, we will try to stop them peacefully.\" (prb\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-to-issue-permit-for-pdi-congress-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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