Soerjadi told to occupy HQ<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M.
\nyesterday told the new executive board of the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party (PDI) to occupy the recently-disputed party
\nheadquarters.<\/p>\n
"The new board must take up office at the secretariat as soon
\nas possible," he said in reference to the building at Jl.
\nDiponegoro 58, Central Jakarta, which was forcibly taken over on
\nJuly 27 by around 800 drilled supporters of the PDI's new
\nchairman, Soerjadi, from 200 supporters of the ousted party
\nchief, Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
The incident was followed by mass riots which killed five
\npeople -- according to one version of the incident -- and injured
\nmore than 140. The police subsequently claimed the office was
\nunder their control and was status quo.<\/p>\n
The building was extensively damaged during the takeover and
\nhas since been tightly guarded by police.<\/p>\n
Yogie said yesterday the building may need repairs before the
\nnew board could make it fully operational as its secretariat.<\/p>\n
He also suggested there be a ceremony to exorcise "ghosts" at
\nthe secretariat.<\/p>\n
"Fixing the building may cost money. There may have to be an
\ninvocation, there could be a lot of ghosts in that office,"
\nAntara quoted him as saying.<\/p>\n
Megawati was ousted in a government-backed dissenters'
\ncongress in Medan in June. She and her supporters have questioned
\nthe legality of the congress and are suing several government
\nofficials, including Yogie, for supporting the congress.<\/p>\n
Speaking to journalists after opening a PDI board meeting in
\nBogor yesterday, Yogie urged the board to expedite its
\n"consolidation effort" to fully participate in the preliminary
\nstages of the next election.<\/p>\n
Only when the party is fully consolidated can it help maintain
\nnational stability, Yogie said.<\/p>\n
Soerjadi said the biggest challenge facing the PDI is the
\nrebuilding of its image. He said the party's recent internal
\nturmoil had been detrimental to it.<\/p>\n
However, "the PDI must pick itself up in spite of these
\ncircumstances," he said. "In such a situation, the first thing we
\nmust do is realize our true position in the country's political
\ndynamism."<\/p>\n
Soerjadi said people should realize the PDI is a political
\norganization which advocates "democracy with an Indonesian
\nnuance".<\/p>\n
Questioning<\/p>\n
Separately, the Attorney General's Office yesterday said there
\nwas not enough proof to charge Benny Sumardi with subversion.
\nTherefore, the dossier on him has been referred to City Police,
\nsaid the office's spokesman, Pontas Pasaribu.<\/p>\n
Benny is the brother of Father Ignatius Sandyawan Sumardi
\nS.J., a Catholic priest who was earlier accused of harboring
\nthree wanted political activists. The activists, Budiman
\nSudjatmiko, Petrus Haryanto and Eko Kurniawan, have been accused
\nof subversive activities, including inciting the July 27 riots.
\nThe three were arrested at Benny Sumardi's house.<\/p>\n
Pontas further revealed that officials at the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office had interrogated detained labor activist Muchtar
\nPakpahan. Muchtar is also being accused of subversion, which
\ncarries the maximum penalty of death.<\/p>\n
Pontas also said that Berar Fathia, a politician who rose to
\nfame when she was unofficially nominated for presidency in 1992
\nand 1995, has been questioned in relation with the case being
\nbuilt against Budiman Sudjatmiko, the chairman of the
\nunrecognized Democratic People's Party.<\/p>\n
Berar is reported to have denied any connection with Budiman,
\nalthough she has admitted often seeing Budiman at the Legal Aid
\nFoundation's office. (mds)<\/p>",
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