PDI banners burned

SEMARANG: People claiming to be Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) activists frustrated by the party's interminable leadership conflict have burned hundreds of PDI banners in the Blora regency.

But local PDI leaders doubt that those who burned the banners were really PDI activists and they urged the police to investigate the incident.

"I can understand if some people are frustrated by the nasty internal conflict but I cannot understand why they should have vented their anger on the party's symbol," PDI Blora chapter secretary Maryanto said yesterday.

PDI has split into two camps. One contains members loyal to the government-backed Soerjadi leadership and the other supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri, who was democratically elected in 1993 and ousted last June.

Hundreds of PDI banners have also been reported missing from Semarang roadsides.

"We plan to report it to the police," Semarang PDI branch leader Danang Suwito told The Jakarta Post. (har)