Opposition against Golkar looms large

JAKARTA (JP): Party functions held by the ruling Golkar across Java over the weekend were met with hostile receptions, and at one site led to an emergency rescue of chairman Akbar Tandjung.

A helicopter flew Akbar and his wife from Jember to the neighboring East Java town of Lumajang on Sunday, after Golkar supporters were ambushed by opposition parties.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) and National Awakening Party (PKB) supporters were identified as the attackers, Antara reported.

Akbar fled as soon as he finished his address to party cadres in a field in Karangrejo, Sumbersari district.

Golkar followers were about to disperse when the attackers -- some of whom were armed with sharp weapons -- arrived. Some Golkar civilian militia were allegedly beaten and dozens of Golkar cadres were forced to take their party uniforms off, the news agency reported.

Police said they received complaints from 50 Golkar supporters, who said they were forced to remove their uniforms on the outskirts of Jember, which leads to Banyuwangi, the eastern tip of Java.

Earlier in the day, the attackers allegedly sought Akbar on their way to Karangrejo. However, security authorities warned the chairman of the possibility of danger and suggested he move from a bus, which also carried a group of journalists, to a Toyota Kijang van.

No arrests were reported following the attacks.

Akbar canceled his visit to the Central Java town of Klaten on Saturday, following objections from local leaders of PDI Perjuangan, PKB and the National Mandate Party (PAN). In a joint statement, they said they were worried about clashes involving their supporters and Golkar rivals.

Officials from Golkar's branch in Klaten denied that the joint statement had caused Akbar to call off his meeting with 1,000 farmers and fishermen from across the province in the town. The gathering went ahead, despite Akbar's absence.

Participants at the function were allegedly assaulted on their way home. A group of villagers pelted trucks and buses carrying Golkar supporters with stones, but no serious clashes were reported.

Another attack on Golkar supporters was reported in Semarang on Sunday, when a group of people wearing PDI Perjuangan attributes vandalized the party office on Jl. Veteran. Three people were injured in the incident.

In Bandung, a joint rally held by thousands of PDI Perjuangan, PKB and PAN supporters on Sunday caused massive traffic jams across the city. Participants shouted their common opposition against Golkar and the status quo.

In Jepara, Central Java, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) leader Abdurrahman Wahid guaranteed on Sunday that no clash would flare up again in the province among supporters of parties claiming to represent the NU.

"The clash here recently was just a minor disruption to the PKB. I guarantee such an incident won't happen again," he told a media briefing before addressing an estimated 20,000 people in Jepara Square in a celebration to mark the Hijriah Islamic New Year and the town's 450th anniversary.

Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, was referring to a clash between United Development Party (PPP) and PKB supporters last month, in which four people died and scores were injured.

Abdurrahman called for restraint, citing the party's motto of "defending the truth and sincerity".

During the gathering, a boy named Yanto climbed onto the stage to extend an apology to Abdurrahman, because his father was suffering a mental illness after slandering the NU's charismatic leader.

Abdurrahman shook the boy's hand and told him he hoped his father would make a speedy recovery.

Abdurrahman also said he would take two-months leave from NU, starting from the first day of official campaigning on May 19.

Meanwhile, Jepara Police chief Lt. Col. Monang Manullang told The Jakarta Post eight men had been named suspects in the latest clash between PPP and PKB supporters. "Four of them are alleged provocateurs and the other four are charged with assault," he said.

Monang also identified five Jepara districts prone to unrest: Kedung, Pecangan, Melonggo, Mayong and Bangsri.

In a related development, PAN chairman Amien Rais told party supporters in Purwokerto, also in Central Java, on Sunday to avoid conflicts with followers of rival parties.

"We are all friends, except for Golkar. Just forget Golkar, it's too painful to remember what it did in the past," he said.

In Jombang, East Java, President B.J. Habibie called for fair play in the June 7 polls, urging political parties to be prepared to take defeat graciously.

"All sides should accept the parties that win the elections," he said in the centennial commemoration of the Tebuireng Pesantren (Islamic boarding school) on Saturday. (43/44/45/edt/har/nur/rms)