Leader says parties culpable for violence

Leader says parties culpable for violence

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Party leaders should be held responsible for
any clashes or violence involving their supporters, Yogyakarta
Governor Hamengkubuwono X said on Tuesday.

He was commenting on the latest scuffle between supporters of
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and the
United Development Party (PPP) on Sunday. One man was stabbed to
death and five others seriously wounded.

"Why did this happen only a couple of weeks after the party
leaders pledged to maintain peace in Yogyakarta? I will demand
their responsibility for the incident," Hamengkubuwono said.

PDI Perjuangan sympathizer Budi Purnomo died on Monday at
Panti Rapih Catholic Hospital. He was buried later in the day. No
suspects have been apprehended.

Sunday's clash occurred when the two groups of rival party
supporters met on Jl. Ahmad Dahlan, long considered a PPP
stronghold.

Two people were injured, and two motorcycles plus a
neighborhood post belonging to PDI Perjuangan were set on fire in
another violent incident also involving followers of the two
parties in Kulon Progo regency, west of here.

On March 21, a PDI Perjuangan supporter, Eko Prabowo, was also
killed during an altercation with PPP supporters when the two
groups met on the way to their respective party functions.

The fatality inspired local leaders of the parties contesting
the polls in the province to sign a joint peace accord, known as
the Malioboro Declaration, a week later. Hamengkubuwono and local
military and police chiefs witnessed the signing.

"Two (fatalities) are more than enough. There must be no more
clashes," Hamengkubuwono said on Tuesday. He added it was now for
time for party leaders to realize their promises.

In a related development, chief of the Yogyakarta police
detectives unit Lt. Col. Yotje Mende announced the arrest of
three PPP supporters, identified as Wid, Icap and Bud, for
possession of explosives and sharp weapons.

Yotje said the suspects were apprehended on Monday following
an intensive operation to search houses of party activists
following Sunday's clashes.

In Pekalongan, Central Java, People's Awakening Party (PKB)
and PPP supporters fought on Tuesday, the second clash between
them in as many days. The two days of scuffle left six people
injured and 40 houses damaged.

No arrests were made by local police called to disperse the
brawling crowds.

Police chief Lt. Col. Ismu Haryomo was quoted by Antara as
saying the violence flared up after an incident on Saturday in
which a number of PPP supporters lowered PKB flags.

Also on Tuesday, a PPP official reported to the Surakarta
Police a Sunday afternoon attack allegedly committed by National
Mandate Party (PAN) followers against PPP counterparts in
Bekonang district in Sukoharjo, Central Java.

In Jakarta, three Muslim-based parties, the United Development
Party (PPP), Nahdlatul Ummat Party (PNU) and the Muslim Community
Awakening Party (PKU), lashed out against Muslim organization
Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) for its allegedly discriminative policy. The
parties accused NU of driving the organization's members to vote
for the PKB, which was founded by NU chairman Abdurrahman Wahid.

NU, considered the country's largest Muslim organization with
some 30 million supporters, has repeatedly stated its neutrality
in politics.

"NU leaders obviously support PKB for the next polls and
ignore other NU-based parties such as PKU, PPP, PNU and Partai
Suni (National United Solidarity Party)," Sholahuddin Wahid of
PKU said. Sholahuddin is Abdurrahman's younger brother.

"It is not fair that almost all of NU's branch offices give
facilities to PKB while others do not get any. All NU members are
also strongly advised to vote for PKB."

In the East Nusa Tenggara regency of Sikka, protests were
directed at local Golkar figure A.M. Keupung, who claimed his
party helped people overcome the economic crisis by distributing
social safety net funds. Keupung made the statement in a debate
attended by representatives of 11 parties on Saturday.

"Such a claim justifies people's suspicions that Golkar has
used money politics," said local PAN leader Anton Sina Tebu said.

Also in Sikka, about 5,000 people have reportedly switched
their support from Golkar to PDI Perjuangan, Lalong Morajita of
PDI Perjuangan said on Sunday. (44/edt/har/yac)