Govt says Megawati must guarantee security and order

Govt says Megawati must guarantee security and order

JAKARTA (JP): The government is allowing Megawati
Soekarnoputri to continue with plans to hold a congress of her
Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction in Bali as long as she
can guarantee security and order on the popular tourist island.

Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander
Gen. Wiranto, Minister of Justice Muladi and National Police
Chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi separately said on Tuesday that a
security guarantee from Megawati was needed before the government
would issue a permit for the congress.

"From a security point of view, we don't mind (the congress)
as long as they are sure they can safeguard it (from
degenerating) into riots, which could disturb Bali as a tourist
island," Wiranto said to journalists after a plenary session of
the House of Representatives (DPR).

"We're only concerned because in the past PDI congresses
always ended in clashes, which would affect tourists' feeling of
security.

"ABRI suggests that the organizers choose another site," he
said.

Despite previous government calls that she cancel or at least
move the venue of her congress planned for Oct. 8 to Oct. 10,
Megawati has refused to budge and has continued with her
preparations.

The government only recognizes Megawati's rival camp of the
PDI, currently led by Budi Hardjono.

Pressed whether the Armed Forces would safeguard the planned
event, Wiranto said ABRI would provide security for "anyone who
holds a congress anywhere".

He, however, explained that it was extremely important for the
nation to preserve Bali's image of being safe for tourists after
massive riots that had rocked cities elsewhere in recent months.

"It (tourism in Bali) is a national commodity that has earned
us a great deal of foreign exchange," Wiranto said. "So if there
are riots, we're worried it could tarnish (Bali's) image."

Warning

Muladi made comments to the same effect, but added a warning:
"If riots broke out, she (Megawati) would be held accountable ...
because it is she who is holding the congress," he said at the
DPR.

Roesmanhadi said the government had yet to issue a permit for
the congress.

"There hasn't been any official answer (to Megawati's request
for a permit)," he said.

Commenting on Wiranto's statement, National Resilience
Institute (Lemhanas) Governor Lt. Gen. Agum Gumelar said the
government expected Megawati to promise that her congress would
run smoothly and without any security disturbances.

"Mbak (Sister) Mega must first guarantee there won't be any
disorder if a permit for the congress is granted by the
government," he told reporters during a break at a seminar on
nationalism which was held on Tuesday by Lemhanas.

Security affairs, he said, should be the collective
responsibility of everyone, rather than the sole burden of ABRI.

Agum said he was confident the government would act wisely and
eventually grant a permit, adding he did not know why it had yet
to do so.

Deployment

Despite the lack of a permit, Bali Police Chief Brig. Gen.
Gunawan took the initiative on Tuesday to deploy 2,000 personnel
to secure the congress. In a meeting with organizers Ida Bagus
Wesnau and John Sara, he spoke of the possibility of deploying
local troops as reinforcements.

"I do not concern myself with the question of permits. That is
the business of the National Police headquarters. My main concern
is to safeguard Bali," he said.

Although the congress is still nine days away, shops in
Denpasar have started selling wares with PDI symbols. Local
supporters have spent approximately Rp 1.5 billion (US$136,136)
to decorate the congress venue and surrounding areas.

Twenty area doctors will provide 24-hour free medical services
for the congress.

"About 20 doctors and dozens of nurses have applied for
voluntary medical service during the congress," deputy secretary
of the PDI Bali chapter Sarwa Kabiana said as quoted by Antara on
Tuesday.

Apart from the congress preparations, thousands of Chinese-
Indonesians and Golkar cadres in the regencies of Temanggung and
Kendal in West Java have applied for membership of Megawati's
PDI.

"They (the Chinese-Indonesians and Golkar cadres) decided on
their own to join PDI under Megawati's leadership," said chairman
of the PDI's Temanggung branch loyal to Megawati, Bambang
Sukarno.

"They joined Megawati's PDI after they learned that Megawati
had been garnering greater support from not only local people but
also the international community," secretary to the PDI's Kendal
branch loyal to Megawati, Soetedjo, said separately. (aan/har/imn)