'No politics at Sukarno's anniversary'
JAKARTA (JP): The authorities have imposed a ban on political activities during tomorrow's commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the death of Indonesia's first president, Sukarno.
East Java Governor Basofi Sudirman said in Surabaya yesterday that anyone may attend and that speeches could be made at the commemoration ceremony but that no "politicking" would be tolerated.
He made the statements in relation to a plan by Sukarno's daughters, Megawati and Rachmawati, to speak at the event, which is to be held at their father's grave in Blitar, the mountain town in which the former president was born in 1901.
As in previous years, the ceremony is expected to be attended by thousands of people.
Megawati Soekarnoputri, who chairs the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), has been at odds with the local authorities, whom she has accused of meddling in the PDI's internal affairs.
Megawati has reportedly agreed to abide by the governor's instructions.
Basofi was quoted by the Antara news agency as saying that anyone may attend the ceremony because "Bung (Brother) Karno belongs to the entire nation, not only to his family."
"They can say anything there except for political matters," he said.
Megawati and her younger sister Sukmawati were not available for comment yesterday.
Basofi's statement was a step forward from the government's earlier stance regarding the issue. On Friday, East Java military commander Maj. Gen. Imam Utomo decided to ban all speeches during the event, saying the participants would only be allowed to offer prayers.
Sukarno, who, together with Mohammad Hatta, proclaimed Indonesia's independence from the Dutch on Aug. 17, 1945, died in 1970 in Jakarta and was buried in Blitar, 600 km east of here.
On June 20 every year thousands of people travel to Blitar to pay homage to the late president. On that day members of Sukarno's family usually lead simple gatherings and say prayers.
This year, however, the East Java authorities have taken charge of all the arrangements for the commemoration.
"The commemoration, known locally as haul, is an event usually marked by religious activities, such as reading from the Koran," Basofi said.
"The ceremony should not be abused by certain groups by talking about politics," the governor added.
He also denied that there was any political motivation behind the administration's decision to manage the gathering. Megawati has been complaining over the way the East Java authorities have treated her and her party in recent years.
She has been repeatedly barred from installing the elected chairman of the PDI provincial executive board. Other PDI officials have also encountered difficulties in trying to meet with local activists of the party.
"There's no political motive (for the decision to coordinate the commemoration)," Basofi said. "In past years, the provincial administration also participated by providing certain facilities."
"This time, however, the provincial administration is acting as a a coordinator so that the event will not be abused," he said.
Basofi and other high-ranking officials have often said that the only ground for the authorities' ban on PDI meetings which Megawati has been scheduled to attend was that they lacked permits.
From the other side of the fence, signs of a "politicization" of the annual gathering have been emerging since late last year.
A number Moslem ulemas, whose bid for the leadership of the United Development Party was frustrated in August, declared they would join PDI instead. Senior ulema Kyai Alawy Muhammad declared that he would help with the holding the commemoration.
Megawati and other PDI leaders immediately declared they would welcome the ulemas and accommodate their Islamic aspirations.
A number of controversial figures, such as Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama organization, has customarily attended the gathering. (swe)