PDI public forums defended as legitimate

JAKARTA (JP): Observers are applauding the supporters of ousted Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) leader Megawati Soekarnoputri for vowing to continue their public forums despite the military's campaign to have them stopped.

Political observer Arbi Sanit and human rights campaigner Hendardi have agreed that the forums are a legal arena through which Megawati supporters can express their political aspirations. "It's an effective means for them," Arbi said.

Arbi, a staff lecturer at the University of Indonesia's School of Social and Political Sciences, said the forums were "fair compensation" for the government's and the military's support for Soerjadi, Megawati's rival.

"The Armed Forces shouldn't have tried to ban the free speech forums...the move will tarnish the Armed Forces' image further," Arbi said.

The government and the military last month backed the PDI rebel congress in Medan, North Sumatra, which toppled Megawati and elected Soerjadi as the new PDI chairman.

This caused waves of demonstrations in several cities which were supported mostly by young people and activists of non- governmental organizations. One protest in Jakarta, which involved 8,000 Megawati supporters, ended in a clash with security forces, leaving dozens injured.

After this incident on June 20, the Jakarta regional military command and Megawati's camp made an agreement: the Megawati supporters would no longer take to the streets if the military allowed them to hold free meetings at the party's headquarters at number 58, Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta.

The supporters have basically adhered to the agreement, although they have on several occasions taken to the streets in protest. They normally gather at the party's headquarters to sing patriotic songs, listen to speeches, wave placards and unfurl banners critical of the government and the military.

On Saturday, Armed Forces Chief for Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid said the meetings should be stopped because the speeches at them indicated a campaign to overthrow the government.

"There seem to be efforts to garner forces to revolt," Antara quoted him as saying. "The activities in the forums have showed signs of violating the law. The forums are illegal."

He cited the call for a major three-day strike, which occurred in Surabaya, as an example of such violations.

"The Armed Forces want these activities to stop," he said, adding that the National Police and the Attorney General's office would be the agencies responsible for stopping the forums.

"But please stop before any legal action is taken," he said. "The Armed Forces don't see the free forum activists as enemies."

Several politically well-connected youth organizations, including Pemuda Pancasila and Pemuda Panca Marga, are also demanding that the forums stop.

Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, a Megawati loyalist, said that Megawati supporters' activities were still "normal" and acceptable. And all activities were held spontaneously by supporters. They were not organized by Megawati's central board.

Separately, Hendardi said the public meetings should be seen as a legal means for Megawati supporters to fight the party's rebel executives.

"It's the only available way for them to settle the party's crisis since the government has cut off formal channels, namely through the parliament," he said in a statement yesterday.

"Those speeches show that Megawati is gaining even greater support from the majority of PDI grassroots members...while Soerjadi only enjoys the support of the government and the Armed Forces, not the PDI members," he said.

The party activists supporting Soerjadi said yesterday that they were in a process of "consolidation" by holding regional chapter conferences.

The chairman of the Central Kalimantan chapter of PDI, Metropole B. Djanguk, said over the weekend that his chapter was organizing a series of special conferences among local branches. The meetings were meant to "disseminate the results of the Medan congress," he said.

"The special conferences are needed to disseminate the results of the Medan congress, to establish uniform perception among local party functionaries," Metropole was quoted by Antara as saying in Palangka Raya, Central Kalimantan, on Saturday.

Metropole, who led the Central Kalimantan delegation to the Medan congress, said the special conferences were also to prepare lists of PDI candidate legislators for next year's general election.

In Bandung, West Java, some 200 Megawati supporters tried, but failed, to attend a public forum at Gasibu Park. Hundreds of security officers prevented them from assembling in the park and at the PDI chapter office in Jl. Soekarno-Hatta. Security personnel arrested six of the activists. (imn/17/16)