PDI supporters' arrest protested

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation protested yesterday the violent arrest of 16 Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) supporters in North Jakarta on Sunday.

The foundation said police had beaten people while arresting them during a demonstration outside a PDI gathering at a youth center in Tanjung Priok.

"The authorities forcibly dispersed the protesters without initially trying persuasion," foundation chairman Bambang Widjojanto said.

Riot police broke up the demonstration by about 100 supporters of the ousted PDI leader Megawati Soekarnoputri near the venue of an indoor rally held by the government-recognized party leader Soerjadi.

Megawati, who was replaced by Soerjadi in a government- sanctioned party congress last year, has decided not to campaign. She did not encourage her supporters to boycott the May 29 general election.

Riot police guarding the venue chased and beat the Megawati loyalists who had traveled there in two trucks and on about 30 motorcycles, Bambang said.

The loyalists had yelled pro-Megawati slogans and demanded to enter the venue. The police rejected their request.

After the demonstration was dispersed, Megawati loyalists fought Soerjadi supporters elsewhere.

Bambang said that some of the Megawati supporters had been kicked or beaten with batons before being loaded onto a truck and taken to the North Jakarta police headquarters.

Bambang said the police had violated the Megawati loyalists' basic political right to attend the rally.

"The security authorities acted discriminatingly and deprived some citizens' of their political rights," he said.

The legal aid foundation told police to respect the PDI supporters' basic rights during their detention. (pan)