PDI banners burned

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)