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)