Activists set up new political party

Activists set up new political party

JAKARTA (JP): A group of student activists announced yesterday
the formation of a new political party, the People's Democratic
Party, defying the law and the government.

The activists and some government critics, including Sri
Bintang Pamungkas, met at the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute to
announce the new party. Many of the activists have been accused
of masterminding riots and strikes.

In May, Bintang established his own party, the Indonesian
Democratic Union Party.

"We are not seeking government recognition," said Budiman
Sujadmiko, chairman of the new party. "We establish this party
because Indonesian politics are deteriorating. The room to move
has gotten smaller...look at what's happening to the Indonesian
Democratic Party."

The youths unofficially founded the party two years ago. It
has been involved in many pro-democracy activities, and has
openly backed strikes in Surabaya, Surakarta and several other
cities.

"We're going to conduct 'extra-parliamentary' activities, such
as political campaigns, seminars, discussions and mass activities
aimed at demanding that the 1985 law on politics, and the Armed
Forces' sociopolitical role be revoked," said Budiman, a dropout
of Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University's School of Economics

The party elected Petrus H. Hariyanto, a graduate of Semarang-
based Diponegoro University's School of Letters, as its
secretary-general.

Petrus said the party acts as an umbrella for a number of
organizations such as the Indonesian Students Solidarity for
Democracy and the Indonesian Association of Workers Movement. The
organizations have reportedly established 41 branches across the
country. (16/swe)