Parkindo goes ahead with its congress
Parkindo goes ahead with its congress
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Christian Participation association (Parkindo) went ahead with its congress over the weekend, despite of the absence of government officials and leaders of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).
Earlier, Parkindo's planned congress caused controversy because it was widely seen as a resurrection of the old Indonesian Christian Party, also abbreviated as "Parkindo", which was merged along with four other parties in 1973 to become the PDI.
The three-day congress, which is being held in Caringin sub- district, Bogor, is scheduled to conclude tomorrow.
Chaired by Sabam Sirait, a legislator representing the PDI faction, Parkindo, was founded by former leaders and supporters of the old party on Nov. 29 two years ago, and was registered as a mass organization with the government last February.
However, it has only recently made its presence felt by the public, together with several newly-established organizations, all with the proclaimed objective of protecting the nation.
Another organization formed last month calls itself Indonesian National Unity (PNI). It was formed by a group of people identified with the Indonesian Nationalist Party, the initials of which were also "PNI", one of the parties that merged into the PDI in 1973.
Sabam Sirait did manage to secure some sort of official blessing for the congress with the presence of Sudomo, the chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council, for a seminar held by Parkindo simultaneously with its congress.
But PDI chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri, who was also scheduled to address the seminar, was not present. Even PDI Secretary-General Alex Litaay, who is an executive of Parkindo, failed to show up to the congress' opening on Friday night.
In his keynote address to the seminar on Saturday, Sudomo said that the proliferation of new organizations is contributing to the development of democracy in Indonesia.
He underlined, however, of the need for all organizations to stay within the relevant laws.
Sudomo also cautioned the new organizations against fostering sectarian politics in Indonesia.
"It will be a setback for the nation and for our development if these new organizations are promoting primordial ways of thinking and attitudes," Sudomo said.
The Parkindo congress organizers secured their permit to hold the gathering only at the last minute. Sabam had earlier tried, unsuccessfully, to have the congress opened by President Soeharto or Vice President Try Sutrisno. (31)