Megawati delays Papua visit

Megawati delays Papua visit

JAYAPURA, Papua: Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri has delayed
indefinitely plans to visit the Puncak Jaya regency capital of
Mulia.

The secretary-general of the party's Papua provincial chapter,
Albert Yogi, said on Saturday that Megawati was scheduled to
preside over a ceremony celebrating the party's anniversary on
Sunday.

But due to Megawati's heavy workload as President she was
unable to attend the ceremony, Albert told Antara.

It is unclear when Megawati informed party officials in the
province of the delay.

Mulia is situated at the foot of the snow-blanketed
Mt. Puncak Jaya, where a Twin Otter airplane crashed on Thursday
on its way to Wamena, killing five passengers. The town can only
be reached from other areas of Papua by light aircraft like the
Twin Otter.

Albert said preparations for the party's anniversary
celebration were continuing despite Megawati's cancellation. He
said thousands of party supporters from Puncak Jaya and the rest
of the country's easternmost province had arrived for the
celebration and for a rare face-to-face encounter with the
President. -- Antara