Megawati 'not allowed' to hold PDI ceremony

JAKARTA (JP): City Police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said yesterday that his office would not let ousted Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri hold a celebration of the party's 15th anniversary.

Aritonang said the police would take a tough stand and breakup such a meeting if she held a ceremony without permission.

"We do not recognize any other PDI executive board other than the one led by Soerjadi," he told reporters at the city police headquarters. "If they insist on holding one, we'll have to ban it."

Megawati was ousted as PDI chairwoman by Soerjadi in June 1996 in a government-sanctioned congress in Medan, North Sumatra.

But Aritonang admitted that he had not received any request for such an event. Megawati has not announced that she would hold such a celebration.

"Even if we receive the letter, we will not issue permission," Aritonang said.

Soerjadi sent letters of invitation to the media and party members that he would organize the party's anniversary celebration Saturday evening. (cst/imn)