Golkar bashings tarnish quiet provincial campaigns

JAKARTA (JP): While the streets in the capital were incarnadined by Megawati Soekarnoputri's noisy supporters, the three-week campaign period began elsewhere in Indonesia with lethargy. In some places, the only excitement was residents harassing Golkar campaigners.

In Jakarta, during a parade of all of 48 poll contenders, vehicles and officials of the ruling party were attacked. In one incident, an angry group punched and kicked a Golkar member.

In Surakarta, Central Java, rally participants from Golkar were pelted and chased by crowds; two were injured. There were about 100 Golkar supporters among those from 41 parties taking part in the peace rally in the area, also dominated by red-clad Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) supporters.

The Golkar supporters fled and took shelter in the township offices, where they removed their yellow Golkar T-shirts and blazers. Hundreds of people chasing them were blocked by civilian security volunteers from PDI Perjuangan but others continued the chase.

Golkar, which during elections under Soeharto's New Order regime was able to mobilize hundreds of thousands of people, managed to attract only about 50 people in its gathering in Lakarsantri in western Surabaya, East Java. The event was supposed to have been attended by party branches from 28 subdistricts.

When asked about the small number of participants, campaigner Oetojo Oesman only smiled. He then reiterated his party's commitment to help school dropouts and increase civil servants' wages, and explained that the Indonesian Military (TNI) was committed to supporting Golkar.

As in Surabaya, other cities such as Mataram in West Nusa Tenggara, Ujungpandang in South Sulawesi, and Yogyakarta also saw subdued campaigning, in stark contrast to the last elections under Soeharto. Fear of clashes was the main reason for many people to stay at home rather than join the rallies.

In Banda Aceh, the capital of volatile Aceh province, thousands of students lashed out at Abdurrahman Wahid, the influential leader of the National Awakening Party (PKB), for not supporting their quest for a referendum. The students, calling Abdurrahman "wishy-washy", forced him out of the sports hall of Syah Kuala University.

An upset Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, shouted back at the students. "I came here because I was invited, if you throw me out of this place, then I will gladly oblige."

Abdurrahman was invited to speak about the Acehnese people's wish for a referendum on independence. The Muslim leader said he did not believe more than 500 Acehnese wanted to separate from Indonesia.

The students started jeering at Abdurrahman, who was later whisked out of the hall through a side door. Some students gave chase to his van until it left the university compound.

Following the incident, Abdurrahman called off a party gathering in Harapan Bangsa stadium, seven kilometers away from downtown Banda Aceh. Sources said Abdurrahman was not feeling well.

Earlier in the day, Abdurrahman told reporters his party supported the campaign for a referendum but that he personally did not agree with independence for Aceh.

Abdurrahman is scheduled on Thursday to address a party gathering in Deli Serdang in North Sumatra's capital of Medan. His rival, National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais, is to be in Cikande district of East Serang, West Java from 10 a.m to 11 a.m. His protege, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri may take a day off after her two-day visit to Lampung and South Sumatra.

Meanwhile, chairman of the United Development Party (PPP) Hamzah Haz will address a gathering in the Leuwiliang district soccer field in Bogor, West Java, and in the Cabang Bungin district soccer field in Bekasi.

Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung will campaign in Jambi mayoralty and West Sumatra's Padang Pariaman district on Wednesday.

Troubled areas

Meanwhile, in a meeting on security for East Timor at the office of the coordinating minister for political affairs and security, Indonesian Military Commander Gen. Wiranto said that security arrangements in Aceh's three troubled regencies of East Aceh, North Aceh and Pidie would be prepared in accordance with the situation on the ground.

"Whether additional troops will be sent in or not will be decided on the situation there. The same thing goes for East Timor," he said. "The Indonesian Military will remain neutral in this poll. That is our principle."

The meeting was attended by, among others, coordinating minister for political affairs and security Feisal Tanjung and foreign minister Ali Alatas.

In East Timor, Dili Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo led a mass for peace in the territory during the polls. "We are calling on you, politicians, to practice moral, honest politics, that respects human beings and the truth," Belo said in his message.

He called on all East Timorese to establish a humane political life. "There's nothing better than building ... justice, serving the public interest, defending political principles through deliberation, without forcing our will on other people through violence and intimidation," he said.

In Ambon, the capital of Maluku, which has witnessed over the past four months savage religious clashes claiming more than 300 lives, Governor Saleh Latuconsina saw off a parade of 34 parties registered there.

Latuconsina was quoted by Antara as telling the party activists that campaigning would be difficult in the area because of simmering tensions.

"This is why all parties must abide by the rules," he said. (23/29/30/33/39/44/edt/aan/nur/swe)