Megawati supports Semarang branch PDI activists
SEMARANG (JP): Megawati Soekarnoputri continued her legal battle against her political rivals with an appearance yesterday in a local court where her supporters were running a lawsuit against her opponents.
The ousted chief of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) showed up with party activists who are suing other PDI members for attending a rebel congress in June in Medan, North Sumatra. Yesterday's trial was a small gust in the legal storm Megawati and her lawyers promised to raise following the congress.
Three Megawati loyalists told the court the government-backed congress was unlawful and violated party statutes. They said the activists who went to the congress had inappropriately claimed to represent the majority of the PDI Semarang branch.
Makmi Ma'ruf, a PDI activist loyal to Megawati, told judges of the Semarang District Court that Danang Suwito and Yusak, respectively chairman and secretary of the PDI branch, participated illegally in the congress.
The majority of branch activists had previously agreed not to send delegates to the Medan congress, said another Megawati loyalist, Ngarang Sembiring.
The PDI congress, held in the North Sumatra capital of Medan between June 20-22, was organized by 16 rebel party executives. The congress elected Soerjadi as the new PDI chairman, replacing Megawati who had won by popular vote at the party's extraordinary congress in 1993.
The third plaintiff, Suhadi Slamet, said Danang and Yusak broke faith with the branch agreement to boycott the Medan congress.
Illegal
According to the party's 1994 statutes the Medan congress was illegal because the next congress was due in 1998, said Suhadi.
Megawati's chief lawyer, R.O. Tambunan, said judges had acted fairly in the hearing.
"We hope they will also be fair in their final verdict," said Tambunan who coordinates a massive team of lawyers for Megawati's nationwide legal battles.
In addition to yesterday's hearing Megawati's team of lawyers are working on 75 lawsuits filed with district courts. Thirty of the 75 lawsuits are currently being heard, he said.
Tambunan said defense lawyers would continue to file lawsuits at district courts in the country's 27 provinces.
Megawati, in court to support local PDI members in their lawsuit, said that winning the legal battle was not her main target.
"The most important thing is that the hearings are held properly and legally," she said.
Megawati indicated yesterday that she would appear in the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday to testify for the alleged instigators of the July 27 riots.
"Lawyers for the Defense of Democracy (TPDI) have asked me to testify at the trials of the 124 PDI supporters accused of instigating the riots," Megawati said.
Tambunan said Megawati would testify that the violent takeover of the party's disputed headquarters, which preceded the riot, was "organized" by the authorities. (imn/har)