PDI activists to stage Bali-Jakarta long march

JAKARTA (JP): A former army general who sympathizes with the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) plans to lead a long march from Bali to Jakarta to dramatize his concern for the party's on-going leadership conflict.

Roch Basoeki Mangoenprodjo, who was reluctant to mention his rank in the army, said yesterday the long march would start in Denpasar, Bali, on April 1 and finish at the House of Representatives in Jakarta a week later.

About 400 people, who call themselves "independent PDI activists," will take part in it, he said. The activists sympathize with both the ousted party leader Megawati Soekarnoputri and the chairman who ousted her at a government- backed congress, Soerjadi,

"The purpose of this march is to gather all our fellow PDI activists, especially those from Java, and meet with the House members for clarification about the real situation within our party," Roch said.

He added the long march was not meant to be a rival to the two PDI factions.

"We are nobody's competitor. We are merely members of the party confused by the prolonged conflict," Roch said.

He said that the existence of any organization is marked by the existence of its constitution. "Right now, our party has two constitutions and this has confused 'independent' members," Roch said.

All the long march participants are to be responsible for their own actions.

"I, assisted by my assistants, will lead the march, but the event will not produce any new organization." he said.

Megawati filed a lawsuit at the Central Jakarta District Court against Soerjadi for organizing the "illegal" congress in June.

But the court ruled several months ago that it had no right to try the case.

"Since the court cannot settle the matter, we think that it is the PDI members who will decide whom they want to represent them," Roch added.

He said that the long march had no intention of disturbing the forthcoming general election.

"On the contrary, we want it to be a success. But with the current situation in PDI, we feel that we have fallen victim to the legal system," he said.

Roch said that the long march would promote the general election, uphold the supremacy of law, and restore the PDI to a legally recognized position.

Roch said the march participants would be highly disciplined and not provoke any riots. (12)