PDI 'reconciliation' efforts a failure, Budi Hardjono says

PDI 'reconciliation' efforts a failure, Budi Hardjono says

JAKARTA (JP): The government-sanctioned chairman of the
splintered Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), Budi Hardjono, said
on Thursday that he has brought to an end his self-initiated
effort to reconcile his camp with that of popular opposition
figure Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Budi said the split in the party appeared to be terminal.

"Yes, I can let go. Reconciliation is not possible. We'll just
go our separate ways," Budi was quoted by Antara as saying.

Budi spoke to journalists after meeting with the Ministry of
Home Affairs' director general for social and political affairs,
Maj. Gen. Dunidja. The meeting was to formally thank the
government for assisting his faction hold a congress on Aug. 25
and Aug. 26 in the Central Sulawesi town of Palu.

He was accompanied by Buttu Hutapea, the secretary general of
his faction in the party.

Budi replaced Soerjadi as party chairman in the Palu congress.

The congress was marred by brawls between supporters of the
party's rival factions and was so chaotic it had to be cut short
to two days from four days initially planned.

Shortly after his appointment last month, Budi tried to win
back Megawati's support. He even visited Megawati's close friend,
the popular Moslem leader Abdurrahman Wahid, to seek his help in
bringing about a reconciliation. Abdurrahman rebuffed his
advances.

A desperate Budi said on Thursday that the PDI had long been
known as a troubled party. "It's a natural thing (in this
country's politics)," he said.

Budi's open remarks about his stance on the PDI rift come six
days ahead of a three-day congress planned by the party faction
loyal to Megawati. The congress, which is to be held in Bali, is
set to begin on Oct. 8.

Budi said that Megawati's congress was no concern of his,
pointing out that his camp had already held its own congress.

Preparations for Megawati's congress are gathering momentum,
with more and more supporters from across the country announcing
on Thursday that they would send delegations to Bali.

Antara reported that delegations of Megawati supporters have
already arrived in Bali from Irian Jaya, East Timor, East Nusa
Tenggara and Riau. All delegations have said they intend to
renominate Megawati in the party leadership election.

Quoting the deputy secretary of the Bali chapter loyal to
Megawati, Sarwa Kabiana, the news agency said the delegations
arrived on Wednesday and that more, including those from Java and
South Sumatra, would follow shortly. Chapters from the island of
Java and from South Sumatra are expected to send the biggest
delegations to the congress.

Sarwa called on delegations from Jakarta, West Java, Central
Java, East Java, Yogyakarta and South Sumatra to watch over their
supporters and guard against them being provoked into violence
while the congress is being held.

Organizers have estimated that the congress will be attended
by around 50,000 people.

On Thursday, Bali Police chief Brig. Gen. H. Gunawan said he
would deploy 2,000 officers backed by an additional 400 soldiers
to secure the event. The event's organizers have also recruited
1,000 civilian guards to safeguard the congress. (har/aan)