Megawati torpedoes demotion

Megawati torpedoes demotion

JAKARTA (JP): Rejecting last week's government-backed congress
which ousted her, Megawati Soekarnoputri said yesterday she
remains the legitimate chief of the Indonesian Democratic Party
(PDI).

Addressing a gathering of 5,000 supporters at the party's
headquarters in Jakarta, Megawati called on party branches
throughout Indonesia to hold conferences to consolidate her
leadership.

"I am the legitimate PDI chief for the 1993-1998 period," she
said to the thunderous applause of her supporters who occupied a
section of Jl. Diponegoro in front of the headquarters.

Megawati, a daughter of Indonesia's first president Sukarno,
said she had refused the positions offered by her political foes
which were an apparent compromise intended to end the party's
leadership rift.

Megawati made her public stand only a day after the congress
elected Soerjadi to replace her. Soerjadi is a former PDI chief.

Dozens of plainclothes and regular security officers
surrounded the party headquarters yesterday. The rally ended
peacefully in late afternoon.

The government and the military, which fully supported the
rebel congress, said they recognize Soerjadi's election. They
have yet to withdraw, however, their recognition of Megawati's
leadership.

Megawati was elected by popular vote in a 1993 extraordinary
PDI congress. She is highly popular among average Indonesians.
She is widely believed to be capable of attracting young
pro-democracy voters in next year's general election.

Her admirers have asked her to run for president in 1998.

Soerjadi and her other political foes have accused Megawati of
turning the PDI nationalist-Christian alliance into an opposition
party, which they say is unconstitutional under Indonesian law.

Megawati said breakaway members lied when claiming the
congress reflected the will of the majority of local party
leaders.

"They are full of lies. We have asked the government to
investigate our allegation but they turn a blind eye," she told
party activists from all over Indonesia.

Megawati has filed a lawsuit against the government for
endorsing the rebel congress in Medan, North Sumatra, she claims
was unconstitutional.

She called on her supporters across the country to maintain
their political morality, stay calm, do their jobs, and prepare
for next year's general election.

Party activists threatened to pour into the streets of Jakarta
again if the government insists on forcibly deposing Megawati.

Dozens of people were injured on June 20, when troops forcibly
dispersed thousands of her supporters marching from the party
headquarters to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

More rallies are planned. This prompted London-based Amnesty
International to express fear yesterday about the government's
excessive use of force when handling protests.

Also yesterday, several hundred loyal Megawati activists
marched to the local legislative council in Salatiga, Central
Java, to express anger at last week's congress.

Megawati's supporters in Jakarta have vowed to safeguard the
PDI headquarters and never let Soerjadi occupy it.

In Medan, Soerjadi said he would ask Megawati to give up the
headquarters peacefully because he is the new party chief
recognized by government.

"I can't imagine a better place for a headquarters, but I will
surely not use violence to take it over," he told The Jakarta
Post.

Fatimah Achmad, Soerjadi's ally who played a key role in
organizing the rebel congress, said she would talk to Megawati on
the headquarters takeover.

Armed Forces Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan
Hamid said the military was ready to help the rebel party leaders
if required.

"We will do our best if we are called in," he said, adding
that the dispute over the headquarters was an internal PDI
problem.

Asked about his plans, Soerjadi said he would soon introduce
his programs to all party members.

His secretary-general Buttu Hutapea said the Soerjadi camp
would list PDI's House of Representatives candidates.

Rebel congress participants were flown back to Jakarta by the
military yesterday in three Hercules transport planes.
(16/17/pan)

Editorial -- Page 4