Demo greets Mega in Makassar

Demo greets Mega in Makassar

MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): Contrary to guarantees given by
academicians and local figures, a demonstration greeted President
Megawati Soekarnoputri as she was on her way to Batangkaluku,
South Sulawesi, to officially inaugurate a clean water project on
Saturday.

Dozens of activists from 51 non-governmental organizations
grouped under the banner of the South Sulawesi NGOs Coalition
tried to intercepted the President's cavalcade in front of the
State Islamic Institute Alauddin, blocking Jl. Sultan Alauddin.

Before Megawati arrived in Makassar, local academicians and
figures promised that there would be no demonstrations against
the President.

Andi Selle, the demonstration's coordinator, said that
Megawati was merely a crony of the New Order regime and the
military.
"She won't settle the nation's problems because she is just a New
Order puppet," Selle told The Jakarta Post. "The Golkar Party
(the ruling party during the Soeharto era) and the military have
exploited the constitution to usurp democracy."

"We are against Megawati. We demand that she step down and
that the legislature be dissolved. We want a general election
within one year without the participation of Golkar. We also
oppose the military and police presence in the legislature," said
Selle.

The demonstrators finally allowed the cavalcade to pass after
they were persuaded to do so by security officers. (27/sur)