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)