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)