PDI factions lock horns in Yogyakarta
PDI factions lock horns in Yogyakarta
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Tension between the Indonesian Democratic
Party's (PDI) two factions here rose to a new high yesterday when
a brawl pitting the conflicting supporters marred the party's
campaigning in the city.
No fatalities were reported in the incident in Pakem
subdistrict, 15 kilometers north of here, thanks to the prompt
arrival of troops and riot police.
The brawl was the second of its kind during the campaign
following a similar incident in Surabaya, East Java.
Yesterday's scuffle erupted when 350 supporters of ousted PDI
leader Megawati Soekarnoputri clashed with 75 activists of the
government-backed PDI under Soerjadi. Both groups were on their
way to a rally in Cangkringan, near Pakem.
The Megawati loyalists had just attended the funeral of fellow
loyalist Suwarni Bimo Budi Sanyoto at Krapyak, 10 kilometers
south of the sultanate city.
Instead of going home, some of the funeral attendees roared to
Cangkringan in a motorcade.
When confronting their rivals, the Megawati activists began by
taunting the Soerjadi supporters. The war of words however
quickly turned into an exchange of stones.
It was a one-sided contest with the Megawati supporters
forcing their opponents to abandon their trucks and motorbikes
and scatter.
The security authorities arrested an unidentified Megawati
supporter but released him after one of his friends lobbied them.
"The incident is more evidence that Megawati loyalists make up
the majority of PDI members in this city," Wirawan, a Megawati
supporter, said.
Megawati, elected PDI chairwomen by popular support in 1993,
was removed from the top spot at a government-backed congress
last year.
Calm campaign
The security authorities did not have to worry in either
Jakarta, Bandung, West Java or Surabaya, as the PDI campaigning
proceeded without traffic-jamming street motorcades.
In Jakarta, PDI Chairman Soerjadi addressed thousands of party
supporters who braved heavy rain at Ahmad Yani field in Kebayoran
Lama, South Jakarta.
Soerjadi criticized the government for using illogical
standards to compile poverty statistics.
"The number of poor people in Indonesia has decreased, but
only because the current data sets a minimum monthly income of Rp
27,905 (US$11.30) as the poverty line," Soerjadi said.
"What can people buy with such an amount?" he added.
President Soeharto told a plenary session of the House of
Representatives when submitting the 1997/1998 budget that the
number of Indonesians living below the poverty line dropped to 22
million in 1996 from almost 26 million in 1993.
In Bandung only a few small convoys carried chanting PDI
supporters to rallies.
The party's West Java branch chief Idi Siswaya said that his
office was not organizing any rallies but had ordered supporters
to distribute placards and banners.
An elated provincial police spokesman, Lt. Col. Istanto,
hailed the quiet day after the deafening rallies of previous
days.
In Surabaya, 100 PDI activists were lured away from rallies in
Rungkut Madya and Krembangan Baru just as campaigners were about
to speak, after Megawati supporters enticed them into holding a
citywide motorcade instead.
Despite the small number of remaining attendees, mostly
children, the rallies proceeded. (23/nur/ahy/amd)