Copy-cat 'Mideast heroes' flock Yogyakarta streets
By Muhamad Achadi
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Hundreds of white-robed people, only their eyes showing through their hoods, process down Yogyakarta streets with a peculiar dance-like gait, one hand revving their motorbike throttles and the other rhythmically making the PPP sign.
Don't mistake them for Middle Eastern bikers caught in a United Development Party (PPP) rally. They are fanatical members of PPP's Intifadah group.
The "brigade", as they proudly call themselves, was named after the well-known Palestinian group they see throwing stones at Israeli soldiers on TV.
Intifadah is only one of many PPP brigades named after anti- Israeli Middle Eastern groups. Others are Hamas, Hizbullah and Al Qossam.
Other brigades use local names such as Singo Bangkit (Awakening Lion), Laskar, URC (Rather Quick Reaction Unit) and Darwis (Modar yo Wis or Don't Care If I Get Killed).
Each brigade boasts between 100 and 350 members.
Although they all identify with resistance forces, they are fiercely committed to peaceful campaigning.
Each brigade has its own rules and members face punitive measures if they are unruly in street convoys.
They claim they are neither fundamentalists nor oppositionists although many of them bear Middle Eastern names or local ones suggesting resistance.
"We admire Intifadah's courage in fighting the Israeli military. We don't think it is wrong to adopt the name for our group," said Muhammad Hatta, an Intifadah member.
Intifadah was the first brigade formed, just before campaigning began. It is also the largest with 350 registered members.
Its members' trappings of membership are the most colorful with a kafieh, or hood, and robes adorned with hundreds of small stars -- PPP's symbol.
Intifadah members' dance-like gait is the most distinctive of the brigades' "dances" as are the peculiar revving noises they make to accompany their engines.
Kotagede, a southeastern suburb in this city of universities, is a well-known PPP stronghold. All brigades with Middle Eastern names are based here. Singo Bangkit is in downtown Singosaren.
The brigades have proven their commitment to peace.
While PPP supporters unaffiliated with any group have won notoriety for their "brutality", -- they have vandalized public facilities, attacked Golkar supporters and stolen Golkar banners -- no brigade member has committed a serious offense.
"We have been applauded since the campaign began last month. We always try to attract public attention in an entertaining and sympathetic way," Hatta said.
Every brigade makes it a rule to express its youthful spirits in as elegant a way as possible.
Their "codes of ethics" rule that uniforms are worn only when campaigning, and any serious offense will result in expulsion.
Hatta said the groups were formed by PPP supporters without financial assistance or interference of any sort by party officials.
"We buy all our materials and gear. No party money is spent," he said.
Yogyakarta's PPP secretary Suwandi DS said he admired their creativity.
"The brigades were created out of the youths' concern that election campaigning was a hurly-burly of no artistic value," he said.
Their presence makes the campaign more like a cultural carnival than a political event.