Minority parties voice growing frustration

Minority parties voice growing frustration

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The massive rallies held over the weekend by minority party supporters indicates a growing frustration with the ruling Golkar organization's political maneuvering, political observer Riswanda Imawan said yesterday.

The lecturer at Gadjah Mada University's School of Social and Political Sciences said that the masses are "tired of keeping their mouths shut in the face of (Golkar chairman) Harmoko's maneuvers".

"The political elite has underestimated the public's wisdom," he said. "The political elite has been taking the public's silence as a sign of helplessness...this is what prompted (the minority party supporters) to hold their rallies."

Around 10,000 supporters of the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP) gathered on Sunday to celebrate the party's 23rd anniversary, and later held a procession on motorcycles and other vehicles around the city. Hundreds of activists of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) followed suit.

Yogyakarta military district chief Lt. Col. Sukedi told The Jakarta Post that one person was injured and a house was destroyed when the procession turned violent. The authorities have detained three people for questioning.

Riswandha said the rallies were "the proper response" to the similar gatherings held by Golkar over the past several years, which, some observers say, smack of electioneering. Golkar executives deny the charges, referring to their gatherings as "meetings of cadres".

By law, campaign rallies are only allowed to be held several weeks before the election date.

"The PPP and PDI rallies on Sunday indicate that the public has become more critical," Riswandha said. "Now, if the government and Golkar condemn or try to forbid the PPP and PDI supporters (from holding such rallies again), there will be a counteraction to Harmoko's political maneuvering."

Alfian Darmawan, chief of the PPP's local chapter, agreed with Riswandha. He said the PPP rallies were held "spontaneously" as a response toward Golkar's early electioneering.

"The PPP central executive board did not instruct the supporters to hold a procession. It was spontaneous," he said. "Golkar has been doing exactly the same thing on a national scale."

"This is a form of public protest of the unfair political practices here," explained Alfian, who is also a lecturer at Muhammadiyah Moslem University.

"The supporters of PPP and PDI have started to realize that they have been placed on the sidelines," he said. "They have not had the opportunity to voice their political aspiration, while Golkar clearly monopolizes the political scene."

Riswandha called on the government to deal with issue in order to prevent conflicts. "It would be wise for the government to let the PPP and PDI supporters (hold their rallies)," he said. (02/har/swe)