Golkar bashings tarnish quiet provincial campaigns

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)