Megawati offers referendum to end PDI rift

Megawati offers referendum to end PDI rift

JAKARTA (JP): The ousted leader of the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI), Megawati Soekarnoputri, offered yesterday to hold a
referendum to solve the protracted conflict within the minority
party.

Megawati loyalist Alexander Litaay said the referendum was the
fairest way to bring the energy-sapping dispute to an end. It
could also serve as a face-saving measure for the conflicting
parties, he said.

Litaay insisted, however, that negotiations over the
referendum should involve only the Megawati-led faction and the
government, and exclude the government-recognized faction under
chairman Soerjadi. Litaay said Soerjadi's faction was
"unconstitutional".

"Any referendum, if agreed by the government, should be
conducted by an independent committee approved by us and the
government, and run before the national congress in December next
year," said Litaay, PDI secretary-general under Megawati.

The committee might comprise members of non-governmental
organizations and the National Commission on Human Rights, Litaay
said.

He was commenting on a conflict solution proposal offered by
Soerjadi's secretary-general Buttu R. Hutapea last week. Buttu
said the two factions should meet for a national dialog to seek
compromises.

But Litaay dismissed the offered dialog, saying that any
attempts at conflict settlement should involve only the Megawati
faction and the government.

Litaay predicted that his proposal for a referendum would face
opposition because there was no stipulation on such a course of
action in the party's statutes.

"That's why we have to discuss it first with the government,"
he said.

He said the May 29 general election had served as a
referendum, proving that the Soerjadi-led PDI lacked legitimacy.
The party slumped to its worst poll performance ever, winning
only three percent of the national vote and 11 seats in the House
of Representatives.

"That's how people expressed their opposition (against the
government's policies) and refusal to recognize PDI under
Soerjadi," he said.

Litaay said a referendum would confirm popular support for
Megawati, who is the eldest daughter of the late founding
president Sukarno.

Megawati was elected party chairwoman in December 1993. A
breakaway congress in June last year overthrew her and reinstated
former chairman Soerjadi to the party's helm.

Conflict between the two factions peaked in bloody riots which
followed a forceful takeover of the party's headquarters by
Soerjadi followers on July 27 last year. Five people were killed
and 23 went missing in the riots.

Litaay said a referendum was the preferable alternative to
ending the dispute and much better than leaving the decision to a
court.

"Soerjadi must dissolve his faction pending a court ruling ...
If we have an independent trial, I'm optimistic that we will win
our lawsuit," he said.

Megawati has filed hundreds of lawsuit against Soerjadi's camp
and the government. (40/amd)