Govt insists on hands-off approach on PDI

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) continued to be at odds with the government over who should initiate the settlement of protracted conflicts in the minority party and ways to go about it.

The government was distancing itself from the party's affairs, while one rival faction said the government must take responsibility because "it caused the split in PDI".

Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. maintained on Saturday that the government would keep out of the party's affairs and allow chairman Soerjadi, whose faction it backed, to handle the problems.

"The initiatives to hold dialogs with the rival faction under ousted PDI leader Megawati Soekarnoputri should come from Soerjadi's faction," Yogie said after attending the opening of the House of Representatives' final sitting for the 1992/1997 term.

"The government only recognizes PDI under Soerjadi," he insisted. He also dismissed the suggestion that the government mediate in the dispute.

Armed Forces Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid shared Yogie's hands-off stance, citing the government's preparations for the upcoming general session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in March.

Soerjadi's faction had offered to discuss problems with Megawati's faction in order to find a solution to the rift that contributed to the party's poor showing in May's general election. Megawati's camp had rejected the gesture, saying they were willing to talk only with the government.

Megawati was ousted in a government-backed breakaway congress which saw Soerjadi reinstated as chairman in June last year in Medan, North Sumatra. Since then, Megawati has been waging a legal battle against her political rivals.

Separately, Megawati loyalist Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno said a discussion on the much-awaited reconciliation should start from the grass roots rather than from the elite layer of the party.

A solution forced on the party from "the top" would backfire, he insisted. "I'm afraid tens of millions of people who opposed the government-backed PDI faction under Soerjadi will be enraged," he said.

"Let members of PDI's branches throughout the country conduct the so-called national dialog among themselves," Soetardjo said.

He insisted that Megawati's faction would not accept the reconciliation offer until a fair settlement to the July 27 incident was reached.

He was referring to the incident on July 27 last year when Soerjadi's men forcibly took over the PDI headquarters from Megawati's supporters, leading to bloody riots in which five people were killed.

Coordinating Minister for Politic and Security Affairs Soesilo Soedarman has announced that the inquiry into incident was "over".

Megawati, who saw a number of her supporters jailed in connection with the incident, has repeatedly blamed the riots on Soerjadi. The government, however, has not laid any charges against Soerjadi or his followers.

"We lament the inconsistent enforcement of the constitution which says everybody is equal before the law," Soetardjo said.

Soetardjo insisted the government should take part in reconciliation attempts within the PDI. "The government should take responsibility for the split in the party," Soetardjo said.

Soetardjo said reconciliation was impossible before the courts issued verdicts on Megawati's lawsuits against the rival faction.

"It does not matter whether we win or lose the legal battle. We just want to see the country ruled by law instead of by power," he said. (imn/amd/10)