Megawati blocked again from meeting supporters

Megawati blocked again from meeting supporters

JAKARTA (JP): Despite strong criticism from all quarters, the
East Java administration has again prevented Indonesian
Democratic Party Chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri from meeting
her supporters.

The authorities have reportedly refused to issue permits for
the party's branch office in Bojonegoro regency to hold a June 1
meeting, which Megawati had planned to attend.

The Antara news agency quoted Sutjipto, chairman of the
party's East Java provincial branch, as saying on Saturday that
the rejection did not come as a surprise to any of the local
party leaders.

"We expected the authorities to turn down our request allowing
her to attend the gathering," he said.

The latest ban on Megawati from meeting her supporters in East
Java is the sixth in about a year. The Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI) has strong support in the province, where her father,
the late president Sukarno, was born.

At one time or another, Megawati has been barred from
attending PDI gatherings in the regencies of Mojokerto, Pasuruan,
Probolinggo, Sumenep and Kediri, and the capital Surabaya.

Chief of the Brawijaya regional military command, Maj. Gen.
Imam Utomo, recently stated that the authorities would not
prevent Megawati from meeting with activists at the regency level
provided that all local party activists kept the meetings
incident-free.

PDI members in East Java are split into two opposing camps,
with one supporting the leadership of her confidante Sutjipto and
the other backing her arch rival Latief Pudjosakti, who also has
the backing of the government.

The authorities have given Latief tacit permission several
times to hold meetings with his supporters. At one point, local
officials even attended a meeting chaired by Latief.

Antara also reported that Latief, who was sacked by Megawati
for dissension, is already planning to hold another gathering in
Kediri soon.

Two political scientists yesterday criticized East Java
Governor Basofi Soedirman for his "discriminatory treatment"
towards Megawati, asserting that the policy would backfire and
tarnish his own name.

"The provincial administration's stance is way out of line,"
Maswadi Rauf told The Jakarta Post. "The public can't help but
blame Basofi and conclude that the authorities have been
violating Megawati's rights."

Maswadi and his colleague, Arbi Sanit, both staff lecturers at
the University of Indonesia, agreed that the bans only succeeded
in smearing the East Java administration and, consequently,
Golkar.

"I think Basofi is behind the whole affair," Arbi told the
Post. He pointed out that Basofi was governor when Golkar won in
Jakarta in the 1992 general elections.

"He probably wants Golkar to achieve the same victory in East
Java," he said. "Unfortunately the East Java public is more
inclined toward PDI because of the historical ties and influence
of Sukarno."

The repeated bannings have created the impression that "the
authorities are playing a game with PDI", Maswadi said.

"They seem to have made up all those excuses for not issuing
permits for PDI gatherings," he said. "When they are confused
enough, the public will eventually blame the East Java
administration and Basofi."

"How come Golkar leaders never have problems in requesting
permits to hold meetings?" Maswadi said. "Basofi should examine
himself and his subordinates. He can't keep washing his hands of
the affair."

Maswadi suggested that Basofi and his staff meet Megawati,
Sutjipto and Latief to try to solve the conflicts together.
"Everybody concerned should have the grace to be flexible in
order to reach a satisfactory solution," Maswadi said. (swe/anr)