Yogie plays down PPP's protest<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The General Elections Institute's chief, Moch.
\nYogie S.M., played down the United Development Party's (PPP)
\ndecision yesterday not to campaign here and in Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
\"What's good about not campaigning?\" Yogie, also the Minister
\nof Home Affairs, told reporters. He said the government would ask
\nthe PPP to reconsider its decision.<\/p>\n
Yogie said the PPP had the right to decide whether to
\ncampaign. \"If they want to stay away from campaigning, go ahead.
\nNo problem.\"<\/p>\n
The PPP has stopped campaigning in the ancient city of
\nYogyakarta to protest the attacks by Golkar supporters on two of
\nits offices there Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Yogie said the attacks should not be \"exaggerated\" because
\nthey were minor incidents involving Golkar supporters who could
\nnot control their emotions.<\/p>\n
The PPP also canceled its campaign here yesterday because the
\nauthorities have refused to let it hold outdoor rallies.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, no PPP supporters rallied in the streets. But
\nin Jakarta thousands of supporters jammed the streets because
\nthey did not know about last night's boycott decision.<\/p>\n
Yesterday afternoon the party dispatched its security officers
\non the streets of Jakarta to tell supporters to stop rallying and
\ngo home.<\/p>\n
Massive traffic jams happened in Tomang, Slipi, Mampang and
\nPasar Minggu where thousands of supporters in trucks and on
\nmotorcycles filled the main streets.<\/p>\n
Shops along Jl. Buncit in South Jakarta closed when the crowd
\nswelled. The shops reopened at about 2:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
PPP chief Ismail Hasan Metareum denied allegations that the
\ncampaign boycott in Jakarta and Yogyakarta aimed to win public
\nsympathy.<\/p>\n
\"In Jakarta, we did not campaign because the authorities
\nrefused to issue permits,\" he said at his home in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
PPP Jakarta chapter chief Rusjdi Hamka said the South Jakarta
\npolice had refused to issue a permit for an outdoor rally and the
\nEast Jakarta police had withdrawn its permit.<\/p>\n
The police would only issue permits for small rallies
\nfeaturing little-known campaigners. The other chapters in the
\ncapital then decided not to campaign out of solidarity, he said.<\/p>\n
\"We cannot campaign at the subdistrict level because we do not
\nhave representative offices there,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The PPP earlier withdrew from a campaigning agreement it had
\nsigned with the government, Golkar and the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty (PDI).<\/p>\n
Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata said that for now
\nrallies should be held in and for individual subdistricts and
\nthat large outdoor rallies, as requested by the PPP, had to be
\nbanned.<\/p>\n
\"Mass rallies may be held in the next stage,\" he said. \"They
\n(PPP officials) have unilaterally canceled a consensus on
\ncampaigning without prior consultation with the other parties and
\nthe Election Supervision Committee.\"<\/p>\n
Jakarta governor Surjadi Soedirdja regretted the PPP boycott.<\/p>\n
\"I deeply regret it. Every party should seek the best solution
\nfor any problem with the other parties,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Yogie said the PPP boycott was \"very normal\" and that he would
\nnot summon the party's leaders to discuss it.<\/p>\n
Asked if the boycott was a blow for him as the Election
\nSupervision Institute's chairman, Yogie tapped his cheeks and
\nsaid: \"Not at all. Look, there are no bruises.\"<\/p>\n
Yogyakarta remained tense yesterday as PPP supporters put up
\nmore posters condemning the attacks on the party's offices.<\/p>\n
Supporters of the PDI's ousted leader, Megawati Soekarnoputri,
\nhung a large poster, which read \"We Megawati supporters share
\nyour grief,\" in front of the PPP Yogyakarta branch office.<\/p>\n
On Jl. Timoho in Central Yogyakarta, the authorities rounded
\nup a convoy of youths, on 32 motorcycles and in vans, and
\nescorted them to the police headquarters.<\/p>\n
Dozens of security officers forcibly dispersed about 300 PPP
\nsupporters protesting Thursday night in the party's stronghold of
\nKauman, near the town's center. The protesters burnt tires and
\nblocked the streets.<\/p>\n
Police chased the protesters into alleys and have since been
\npatrolling the streets.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Slamet Supriyadi
\ncalled on PPP and Golkar supporters yesterday to stop fighting in
\nYogyakarta. (aan\/ste\/pan\/imn\/23\/38)<\/p>\n
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