Jakarta Military Command hints at imminent action

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Regional Military Command signaled yesterday that it will soon move to stop the free speech forum being conducted by supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri at the headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) here.

But the warning went largely unheeded. Around 3,000 Megawati supporters staged a protest at the roundabout in front of the Hotel Indonesia in Central Jakarta in the afternoon, causing massive congestion. The two-hour protest proceeded smoothly under the watchful eyes of about 100 riot police who remained in the background.

Maj. Gen. Sutiyoso, the chief of the Jakarta command, told reporters that the military wanted the free speech forum stopped immediately because Megawati's supporters had violated an earlier promise to help maintain peace and order.

He did not say when the military plans to make its move. The Jakarta Police on Wednesday also sent a formal notice to Megawati ordering that the free speech forum be stopped at once.

Earlier this week senior military leaders said that the forum had been used to incite people to mobilize forces to overthrow the government.

In the street protest on Jl. Thamrin, Megawati supporters gave corsages of orchids and pictures of their leader to motorists, passers-by and police officers on the scene.

"We understood they had something to say, so we gave them the opportunity," a traffic officer said.

The protesters later proceeded by motorcycle, car and on foot to PDI headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro, the site where the free speech forum has been conducted these past few weeks.

Mangara Siahaan, one of the party executives who have remained loyal to Megawati, told the thousands of supporters that Megawati had ordered the free speech forum to be canceled for the day in view of the meeting between President Soeharto and Soerjadi, whom the government regards as the legitimate PDI chairman in place of Megawati.

Another announcement from Megawati is expected today on whether the forum would resume or be discontinued.

Mangara stressed however that the forum should continue until the Indonesian press are freed from restrictions to report all the facts about PDI. He said that thus far the press coverage had not been balanced, to the disadvantage of Megawati's camp.

Meanwhile, Guruh Soekarnoputra, the younger brother of Megawati and an elected PDI legislator, defended the forum as providing people an outlet to express their inner feelings.

Guruh regretted the police's order to stop the forum, and demanded that the authorities clarify the reason for the ban.

He stressed that he was firmly behind Megawati because he believed in what she was doing. "As long as she is on the right track, I will always support her," he added.

He said he and all the other children of Sukarno, Indonesia's first president, are "spiritually" prepared for this kind situation. "I think, we will do what we have to do. We will face the situation wisely," he said.

Guruh described the upheaval in the party as a lesson for the nation. "Maybe it is God's will to teach the nation a lesson," he added. (imn/anr/jun/20)