Fear precedes PDI-P and Golkar campaign in Ambon
AMBON, Maluku (JP): The scheduled campaigning of two major rival parties -- the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and Golkar -- has raised security concerns in the riot-torn city.
Local PDI Perjuangan secretary Lucky Wattimury said on Monday PDI Perjuangan chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri and her 40- strong entourage were due to arrive at Pattimura Airport, some 30 kilometers north of here, at 1 p.m. on Tuesday.
Lucky said Megawati and her entourage would arrive on a chartered flight and would be flown directly by helicopter from the airport to Mandala sports stadium.
Lucky said Megawati was set to kick off the party campaign an hour later at the stadium.
Tuesday is the last campaign day for nine political parties in Ambon, including PDI Perjuangan, the National Awakening Party (PKB), the Crescent Star Party (PBB), Golkar, the United Development Party (PPP) and the Justice Party (PK).
In other parts of the country, campaigning has been arranged so that no two major parties hold their sessions on the same day to avoid conflict.
The chairman of the Maluku Golkar office, Richard Louhenapessy, said the party would also hold a rally in the downtown Baileu Hall on Tuesday.
At least 10,000 troops have been deployed to Ambon and other islands in the province to secure the elections.
Golkar supporters and those of PDI Perjuangan have been known to clash and locals fear Tuesday's rallies will develop into trouble.
Since campaigning began on May 19, Golkar has been besieged by the public for its alleged corruption and abuse of power during the 32-year regime of former president Soeharto, who resigned last May amid deadly riots, student protests and the country's worst economic crisis in decades.
Golkar's flags and other party symbols have been vandalized in Java and other parts of the country.
Ambon and other islands in the province are still shaky from months of violent clashes between Muslims and Christians in which at least 350 people have been killed and 6,000 houses torched.
Hundreds of others were injured in the violence, but an exact figure for the injured is difficult to obtain.
The violence broke out here in mid-January and later spread to several corners of the island-province. The latest incident left seven civilians dead when soldiers fired into a crowd during a dispute between members of two neighborhoods in Ambon on May 15.
The violence took place just a few days after community and religious leaders of the province gathered here to sign a military-brokered peace accord.
Meanwhile in the South Kalimantan capital of Banjarmasin, presidential hopeful Amien Rais of the National Mandate Party was optimistic on Monday that his party would win the June elections.
Tens of thousands of people attended the party campaign in the downtown Kamboja square.
PAN is among the serious contenders in the elections and has a large number of party followers.
PAN, PDI Perjuangan and PKB have formed an alliance to beat the pro-status quo forces on May 18. The three are considered the top opposition parties and analysts have said that the alliance will be able to win the majority of votes in the elections.
In the South Sulawesi capital of Ujungpandang, PPP leader Hamzah Haz canceled his scheduled appearance in the party's campaign on Monday.
Sources close to the party said the cancellation was due to an ongoing dispute between local PPP officials.
PPP rallies in the Central Java capital of Semarang and in Yogyakarta on Monday, however, were attended by tens of thousands of party supporters. (23/27/48/byg/har)