Court drags its feet in hearing Megawati's suit

JAKARTA (JP): The trial of a lawsuit filed by Megawati Soekarnoputri against her opponents in the Indonesian Democratic Party, the government and the military was adjourned for two weeks yesterday.

"We will take two weeks to think over whether or not the court has the authority to try the case," Judge I Gde Ketut Sukarata said in a brief session at the Central Jakarta District Court.

In the lawsuit, Megawati is seeking a court ruling to declare illegal an Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) congress organized in June by her rivals with government and military support. The congress removed her from the PDI chairmanship and named Soerjadi, whom she replaced in 1993, as chairman.

Although the court has held five hearings of the case since early August, Judge Sukarata has not reached the stage of deciding on whether or not to try the case.

The lawsuit was first delayed by a toothache the judge had, and later by fruitless efforts at an out-of-court settlement.

Megawati's demands for a court injunction for a status quo ante on the PDI leadership have also been ignored.

The delay plays into the hands of Soerjadi who is becoming more entrenched as the party's leader as time passes.

In the past few weeks, Soerjadi has represented the PDI at the General Elections Institute. This week he removed some of Megawati's appointees at the institute and at the National Election Committee and appointed his own men.

Judge Sukarata's decision to adjourn the hearing after 10 minutes was jeered by some 200 supporters of Megawati who packed the courtroom and the adjoining hall.

"Resign if you can't handle the case," one of them shouted.

Supporters

Outside the courthouse, another 500 supporters of Megawati were yelling support for the deposed PDI leader.

After the hearing, Megawati's chief lawyer R.O. Tambunan appealed to the crowd for calm and restraint.

"We are fighting for our civil rights here, so I ask you to respect the court," he said. The crowd dispersed peacefully.

None of the disputing parties turned up.

The lawsuit names as defendants Soerjadi and his secretary general Buttu Hutapea; all 16 members of Megawati's board who rebelled; Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung, Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. and National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Dibyo Widodo.

Tambunan told reporters that negotiations to settle the case out of court had made some headway with the representatives of the government and the military, but reached a deadlock with representatives of Soerjadi and other PDI leaders.

Lawyers for the defense argued that the PDI leadership was an internal party affair and could not be decided in court.

Lawyers for the government and the military said the district court had no authority in judging the government's decision in recognizing Soerjadi as the legitimate leader of the PDI.

Tambunan said the failure to settle the leadership dispute internally was the very reason for Megawati's decision to seek a court ruling. "We have wasted our time (in trying to settle the case ourselves). It must be settled by a district court."

He pointed out that in Semarang, Central Java, the local district court has agreed to hear a similar case filed by Megawati's supporters against the Soerjadi camp. (16)