Megawati tells women to stop seeking 'pseudo-advancement'

Kartika Bagus C., The Jakarta Post, Surakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri pleaded with women on Sunday to stop struggling for a quota of high positions to avoid "pseudo advancement".

"Avoid seeking roles or gains by struggling for a quota or allotment of high positions," she said in a speech to mark a Kartini Day celebration at the packed Manahan Stadium in Surakarta, Central Java.

"Women will only achieve a pseudo-advance through such an approach," Megawati added.

The occasion was to celebrate the anniversary of the birth of Javanese Kartini who has been credited as a heroine of woman's emancipation in Indonesia.

Megawati, the country's first female president, urged the nation's women's movement leaders to step up efforts to increase women's capability and roles, so as to equal that of men.

"But this should be done in ways that will not create new discrimination, which ultimately will only give birth to new problems," she said.

Women should continue to improve their skills and develop their potential in order to increase democracy and respect for human rights and justice, added Megawati, the daughter of the country's founding president Sukarno.

"Let's show that Indonesian women are able to develop ability, roles and dedication to the people and the nation ... to work much more to contribute to the country's development," she said.

Citing data from the 2000 census, Megawati said women totaled 101,814,435 people, or made up 50.4 percent of the country's population.

"With that figure, we can imagine how great is the potential of women and their role in the reform movement," she said.

However, she added that the classic stereotype, that Indonesian women lacked productivity and capability, was still heard everywhere.

The President said the 1945 Constitution guaranteed women equal rights with those of men, to play their role in society.

"The Constitution clearly states that all citizens, women and men, have equal positions before the law and the government," she said.

The Kartini Day commemoration was highlighted by a number of activities, including traditional arts performances. However, some of the activities were canceled at the last minute.

The occasion had also to be delayed for more than three hours, from the scheduled start at 8 a.m., because Megawati's arrival at the stadium was late.

The commemoration was marred by a minor clash between police and at least 70 demonstrators, which left at least four people injured after being beaten by security forces.

The scuffle started after the police told the protesters, mostly women, from the Indonesian Islamic Students Movement (PMII), affiliated to the nation's largest Muslim organization, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), to disperse, claiming that demonstrations were banned by law on a national holiday.

As they were about to disperse, the police suddenly attacked the demonstrators, forcing them to flee to safety.

Some of the protesters were arrested and taken to the Surakarta police headquarters.