Attack on Golkar, PPP head offices canceled

Attack on Golkar, PPP head offices canceled

SURABAYA (JP): At least 200 Nation Rescuer Front members
canceled a plan to attack the head offices of Golkar Party East
Java and the United Development Party (PPP) on Saturday due to
police alertness.

One of the group's coordinators, Saiful Hadi, said that they
did intend to vandalize the Golkar Party and PPP head offices on
Jl. Kertomanunggal and Jl. Kendangsari respectively just to
remind the people that "the two parties had committed big sins
against the nation".

The protesters have demanded that the two parties be dissolved
for their "big sins".

It was not clear whether the group consisted of members of the
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) or any organization supporting President
Abdurrahman Wahid. Saiful just said the "would-be assailants"
came from Surabaya and nearby towns of Sidoarjo, Gresik,
Situbondo, Pasuruan and Probolinggo.

President Abdurrahman chaired the NU for 15 years before being
elected President in 1999 in what was dubbed the country's most
democratic election.

Many speculated that Saturday's plan to attack Golkar and PPP
was instigated by NU supporters as most of East Java towns are NU
strongholds.

The fact that Abdurrahman supporters, who were mostly NU
members and members of organizations affiliated to NU, had staged
street protests in Jakarta and many other cities around the
country, opposing the House of Representative's (DPR) censure of
the President over two financial scandals.

The Surabaya demonstrators had converged at the Sunan Ampel
Mosque before starting the attack, but a large number of riot
police intercepted them.

According to Saiful, the demonstrators decided to disperse
after holding speeches at the provincial legislative council
because they were informed that the Golkar and PPP provincial
head offices were being guarded by police round the clock.

In a related development, Fuad Anwar, secretary of the East
Java branch office of the National Awakening Party (PKB), which
was founded by Abdurrahman, said that "the ball was now in the
hands of NU and PKB" to respond the DPR's censure of the
President. "Just go ahead if they want to take to the streets,
provided that they maintain security and order."

He said many parties had urged that PKB make a clear stance to
respond to the DPR's action against the President."

Waves of protests by the supporters and opponents of
Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid also hit Semarang, Surakarta and
Purwokerto on Saturday.

Dozens of students of Semarang's Diponegoro University, the
Semarang Islamic Institute and the Sultan Agung Islamic
University reiterated their demand that Gus Dur quit soon.

Separately, a large group of students from several Islamic
boarding schools in Semarang gathered at the provincial
legislature expressing support for Gus Dur. "The DPR must not act
as provocateurs" one banner read. No clashes were reported.

In Surakarta, 200 students of the Indonesian Muslim Students
Action took to the streets, calling for Gus Dur to resign.

In Purwokerto, over 2,000 people from the People and Students
Against New Order marched along the streets, calling for people
to fight the Golkar Party and the remnants of New Order regime.

They began their march at the public square before proceeding
to the Golkar Party office to make speeches. (nur/har/45/sur)