PDI requests ABRI protection to safeguard June congress

JAKARTA (JP): The government-recognized board of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) has formally requested the protection of the Armed Forces for its June congress.

Board chairman Soerjadi led a delegation to meet yesterday with ABRI Chief/Minister of Defense and Security Gen. Wiranto at ABRI headquarters on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat in Central Jakarta.

He told the minister that security precautions were important for the congress' success.

While the general underlined ABRI's responsibility to provide security, he said the PDI board should also do their part by ensuring a conducive climate, Soerjadi told reporters after the meeting.

Many of PDI's congresses in the past became unruly, with brawls between rival politicians and their supporters.

With the party now effectively split between the Soerjadi camp and that led by Megawati Soekarnoputri, the prospect of more disturbances in June is real.

Megawati had led the party, an amalgamation of Christian and nationalist forces, until she was ousted in a congress organized by rivals who had the support of the military and the government.

The congress elected Soerjadi as party chairman, but the affair virtually decimated the party, and led to PDI's dismal showing in the 1997 general election.

Soerjadi declined to mention the exact date and venue for the next congress. "Just wait for the formal announcement," he said.

Topping the congress' agenda is the election of the party leaders for the 1998/2003 period.

Meanwhile, Minister of Home Affairs R. Hartono said yesterday that the PDI executive board should not ignore the aspirations of party members and supporters.

This included their wishes in the new leadership lineup, Hartono told media at his office yesterday.

Asked whether the Megawati camp should be involved in the congress, Hartono said it was a matter for party members to decide alone.

"We (government) will not interfere with the PDI's internal affairs," he said.

Hartono said the government would only issue a permit to Soerjadi's board to hold the congress. "If Megawati applied for a permit to hold her own congress, we would reject it," he said. (imn)