Pro-Megawati supporters lead rallies on Java<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan) supporters staged simultaneous protests
\nin major cities on Java on Sunday, encouraging Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri to continue her struggle for presidency.<\/p>\n
About 25,000 party supporters thronged the main streets in the
\nCentral Java town of Surakarta on Sunday, expressing support for
\nMegawati's presidential bid.<\/p>\n
\"We want her (Megawati) to know that we are behind Ibu
\nMegawati every step of the way,\" Willy Tandio, coordinator of the
\nprotesters, said.<\/p>\n
A counterprotest was staged by some 1,000 activists from 17
\nMuslim groups in Jakarta, urging the city police to take stern
\nmeasures against \"certain groups\" mobilizing people to forward
\ntheir political interests by staging street justice and violent
\naction.<\/p>\n
\"Security personnel must take stern measures in accordance
\nwith the law,\" Habib Hussein Umar, an executive of the Collective
\nForum of Islamic Mass Organizations, told The Jakarta Post on the
\nsidelines of a rally at the city police headquarters on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The Peaceful Action for Megawati demonstration started at 9
\na.m. when the demonstrators marched down the city's main street
\nof Jl. Slamet Riyadi, waving red and black banners and posters.
\nThey also staged orations.<\/p>\n
The peak of action occurred at 11 a.m. when the demonstrators
\nblew their vehicle horns and let go of 11,000 red helium-filled
\nballoons, marking their wish for Megawati to become the country's
\nfourth president.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan won first place in the June 7 election with
\n33.74 percent of the vote and secured 154 legislative seats in
\nthe House of Representatives (DPR).<\/p>\n
Some people have expressed doubt that Megawati could secure
\nthe country's number-one position as she has to compete with two
\nstrong contenders, namely her long-time ally Abdurrahman Wahid,
\nalso known as Gus Dur, the chairman of the country's largest
\nMuslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama, and incumbent President B.J.
\nHabibie.<\/p>\n
\"But we believe that she can make it. And she has to,\" Willy
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Continuing support for Megawati was displayed by some 1,500
\nsupporters in a rally at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in
\nCentral Jakarta on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The supporters, mostly from the People's Front of Devoted
\nSupporters of Megawati (BRPSM), said their street rally was meant
\nto pressure the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) legislators
\nto elect a president which represents the people's aspirations.<\/p>\n
\"We go down the streets to press MPR legislators to choose the
\npeople's most wanted president, namely Megawati,\" Irwan Setiawan,
\nthe rally coordinator, said.<\/p>\n
Members of the 700-strong MPR will assemble in a plenary
\nmeeting next Wednesday to elect the country's new president and
\nto endorse the State Policy Guidelines (GBHN).<\/p>\n
The supporters, who arrived at the traffic circle at about 3
\np.m. in some 50 minibuses, were mostly from Kemayoran in Central
\nJakarta. Red dominated the crowd as most protesters wore red
\nclothing decorated with Megawati photos and party symbols.<\/p>\n
They walked around the traffic circle, unfurling banners and
\nposters, while supporting Megawati as the next president.<\/p>\n
\"Revolution until we die!\" they shouted. \"Long live Mega!\"
\nthey repeatedly yelled.<\/p>\n
Similarly, some 2,000 supporters of PDI Perjuangan and the
\nNational Awakening Party (PKB) held a joint prayer to support
\nMegawati's presidential bid at Kridosono stadium in Yogyakarta on
\nSunday.<\/p>\n
Support for Megawati also came from the alumni of the
\nIndonesian Nationalist Students Movement (GMNI) in Semarang,
\nCentral Java.<\/p>\n
Also in Semarang, activists of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Muslim
\nOrganization's youth wing, Ansor, expressed their support for NU
\nchairman Abdurrahman Wahid's presidential bid.<\/p>\n
The group pledged to deploy 750,000 Banser (task force
\nmembers), to secure the presidential election.<\/p>\n
\"We need Gus Dur to lead and unite this country. He is
\nacceptable by almost all the elements of society in this nation,\"
\nNiam Salim, chairman of Ansor's Central Java chapter, said.<\/p>\n
Hussein Umar of the Collective Forum of Islamic Mass
\nOrganizations called on all political groups to exercise
\nconstitutional measures in pursuing political interests,
\nincluding the upcoming presidential election.<\/p>\n
\"Let our representatives in the MPR elect the president,\" he
\nsaid, adding that the bid would be an example of law enforcement.<\/p>\n
The forum is an umbrella for 17 Islamic's Mass Organizations,
\nincluding the Cooperation Board of Islamic Schools of Indonesia,
\nNational Forum for Islamic Preachers, Betawi Community, Forum for
\nIslamic Community Unity and Islamic Youth Movement.<\/p>\n
The activists arrived at the city police headquarters on Jl.
\nSudirman in Central Jakarta after staging a mass gathering at Al
\nAzhar Mosque in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The activists, mostly wearing Islamic clothing, chanted \"Allah
\nthe Great!\" and sang Shalawat (prayers adoring God the Almighty)
\non the way to the headquarters. Dozens of mothers and children
\nalso joined the rally.<\/p>\n
City police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman welcomed the
\nMuslim activists' measure.<\/p>\n
\"We cannot guarantee the safety of Jakartans, except ... there
\nare no bad intentions among us ... there are no certain parties
\nforcing their interests ...,\" he told the protesters.<\/p>\n
Noegroho said the police would issue a decree that will ban
\nmass protests at the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle.<\/p>\n
\"The traffic circle is the capital's main thoroughfare. We are
\nalso worried of possible clashes between different groups of
\nprotesters,\" he said, adding that the decree would be effective
\nfrom Monday.<\/p>\n
A plea for a peaceful situation was also aired by some 2,000
\nsupporters of the Justice Party (PK) in Yogyakarta, who called
\nfor all people to restrain themselves and avoid conflict.<\/p>\n
Separately, city police spokesman Lt.Col. Zainuri Lubis said
\non Sunday that noted soothsayer Ki Gendeng Pamungkas, was
\ndeclared a suspect in last week's street protest.<\/p>\n
\"He was arrested on charges of distributing leaflets to
\nprovoke people during the two-day clash last week,\" he said on
\nthe sidelines of the Collective Forum rally.<\/p>\n
Ki Gendeng was arrested on Friday together with Wisnu Sakti
\nBuana, the son of PDI Perjuangan East Java chapter chairman
\nSutjipto. Seventy-nine people were arrested during the two-day
\nclash, including Gendeng and 33 PDI Perjuangan members from East
\nJava. (01\/04\/44\/har\/asa\/edt)<\/p>",
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