Irianese people give

Irianese people give
Megawati warm welcome

JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): Megawati Soekarnoputri, the
chairperson of the Indonesian Democratic Party, received a
traditional warm welcome as the people pleaded for assistance to
improve their lot.

Megawati, the daughter of former president Sukarno, was met by
an enthusiastic throng of supporters when she arrived in
Indonesia's eastern-most province last week as she launched
another campaign to drum up support for the party.

She was received in traditional Irian Jaya fashion and toured
around the city in an open car.

A crowd of thousands of people, including students, drivers
and civil servants, trying to get a close look at her, lined the
streets. Many also thronged the airport.

She also toured the towns of Biak, Serui, Merauke and Wamena,
where she received equally warm welcomes.

Along with the welcome, Megawati had to deal with a number of
criticisms and sharp questions during the ensuing dialogs with
local leaders.

"We have been independent and joined Indonesia 30 years ago.
But most villages remain underdeveloped, so we want to ask
explicitly about PDI's plan to help alleviate our poverty," Athan
Tenau, a director of a Catholic foundation said.

Megawati, who was elected by popular vote at an unprecedented
party congress in December last year, diplomatically said
"Adhering to our national unity principles, what the Irianese
feel, the Acehnese and Jakarta people must also feel," she said.
"If you suffer, those who live in Aceh and Jakarta will feel the
suffering."

Philliphus Degey, a local intellectual, attacked the
authorities' overt concern with security, which he said has
reached the point of terrorizing the local people.

"Even though we have lived free from colonialism, we are still
overpowered by this fear we can't explain," Degey said, adding
that some Irianese feel they are being treated badly in many
cases.

Legislator and senior party executive, Sabam Sirait, who
accompanied Megawati, said the government and the Armed Forces
are seriously endeavoring to improve their condition.

"Hopefully the practice of discrimination will soon end," he
said.

Meanwhile, Diocese of Jayapura's Monsignor Munninghoff O.F.M.
said he expected the PDI to help bring about greater democracy in
Irian Jaya. (lkd/prs)