Military offers PDI helping hand

Military offers PDI helping hand

JAKARTA (JP): Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung
has offered to help the rift-ridden Indonesian Democratic Party
(PDI) solve its notorious internal bickering.

Gen. Feisal made the suggestion on Thursday when meeting with
PDI top leaders at his office to discuss the latest development
in the political crisis within the minority party.

Deputy PDI chairman Soetardjo Sorjogoeritno told reporters
after the meeting that Feisal reiterated that the government did
not mean to interfere in the party's internal affairs.

Soetardjo said that the PDI officials led by party chairperson
Megawati Sukarnoputri briefed the ABRI commander about the
party's programs and its efforts to resolve its problems.

He said Megawati specifically mentioned issues surrounding the
recent "disappearance" of PDI secretary general Alex Litaay,
which triggered widespread speculation about involvement of some
ABRI individuals in the incident. The Armed Forces has flatly
denied the report.

Alex disappeared for four days last month. Alex has so far
declined to explain to the public about what actually happened to
him during those days.

But some PDI leaders said he was abducted by PDI rebels under
Jusuf Merukh, who has set up a rival board to challenge Megawati.
Jusuf claimed that Alex joined his camp. But Alex has denied it
and vowed allegiance to the democratically-elected Megawati.

In his latest maneuver Jusuf plans to set up his local
executive boards throughout the Central Java Province, but the
local military chief opposes the move and stressed that the
government recognizes only Megawati's leadership.

The intervention of a number of senior military officials
helped unblocked the PDI congress in December 1993 and paved the
way for the election of Megawati to the helm of the party.(29)