Jakarta Military Command hints at imminent action

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)