Soeharto says groups aimed to topple govt<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto condemned yesterday the
\nDemocratic People's Party (PRD) and other groups which were
\nexploiting the Indonesian Democratic Party's (PDI) leadership
\nrift in an attempt to topple the government and revive communism.<\/p>\n
Soeharto said the groups used democracy and human rights as a
\nmask to carry out their subversive activities to undermine the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
Soeharto's remarks were conveyed to the public by State
\nMinister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman who had met him
\nto discuss the Olympic Games and the political situation.<\/p>\n
The President said that in the past these organizations were
\nwithout form, hiding in the shadows. But now they had come into
\nthe open with a clear agenda and communist doctrines.<\/p>\n
The rift within the PDI culminated on July 27 in the brutal
\ntakeover of the party headquarters from the supporters of the
\ndemocratically elected Megawati Soekarnoputri by the government-
\nbacked breakaway leader Soerjadi.<\/p>\n
The takeover triggered riots that claimed at least four lives,
\nand prompted the arrest of activists from the little-known PRD
\nand its affiliate organizations which have been accused of
\ninciting the riots.<\/p>\n
\"They used the conflict in the PDI to overthrow the legitimate
\ngovernment and replace the Pancasila ideology with something that
\nis alien to us,\" the President was quoted by Hayono as saying.<\/p>\n
Directing his warnings at the nation's youth, Soeharto
\nstressed that the latent danger of communism is real. It is not
\nsomething that is being made up, said the President.<\/p>\n
Hayono said the president had noted that the groups were anti-
\nestablishment and aimed to mobilize disgruntled people who had
\nnot been successful out of the nation's development.<\/p>\n
Referring to the PDI, Soeharto stated the internal conflicts
\nor disagreements within a political organization should also be
\nresolved internally.<\/p>\n
He then reaffirmed the legitimacy of the Soerjadi leadership
\nof the PDI.<\/p>\n
Soeharto added that if people had gripes about the government,
\nthey should follow Megawati's example and take legal action.<\/p>\n
Hayono expressed the government's strong suspicion that the
\nsubversive organizations were being abetted by foreigners.<\/p>\n
However, he said, the assistance came from private foreign
\norganizations, not governments. He claimed the foreign groups
\nwere unhappy by the fast progress being achieved in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"The motivation of the external groups is to push Indonesia
\naway from tight global market competition,\" the minister said.<\/p>\n
Armed Forces Chief of Social and Political Affairs Lt. Gen.
\nSyarwan Hamid has said the military is investigating a report
\nthat the PRD had received assistance from an Australian labor
\norganization.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Manila, AFP reported that the Philippine foreign
\noffice has asked the Philippine defense department to verify
\nreports of Filipino communist rebels training opposition forces
\nin Indonesia.<\/p>\n
An official, who requested anonymity, said the foreign office
\nwants to clarify the allegation made by an Indonesian general in
\nan interview with Time magazine.<\/p>\n
Philippines Foreign Undersecretary Rodolfo Severino described
\nthe situation in Indonesia as an \"internal matter\" which the
\nPhilippines should not comment on.(mds)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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