PDI activists to stage Bali-Jakarta long march

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)