PDI's Jakarta chapter prepares campaigners

JAKARTA (JP): The city chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) opened a training session for campaigners Saturday evening in East Jakarta.

The training, marred by an incident between PDI supporters, was held at a pesantren (Islamic boarding school) on Jl. Penggilingan, East Jakarta.

Police had tightly guarded the road by the afternoon, and riot police arrived following the incident.

Participants said the scuffle was between PDI supporters. Participants from the government-backed camp under PDI leader Soerjadi said a supporter of the rival camp of Megawati Soekarnoputri tried to seize the jacket of a participant.

This led to at least two people being hit in the face by people wearing a T-shirt bearing Megawati's picture.

But other witnesses said it was difficult to identify those involved, and suspected they were hired outsiders.

Soerjadi opened the event and addressed 357 PDI supporters.

He reminded campaigners that Jakarta was the only province where PDI did not obtain an increase in votes in the last election held in 1992.

In 1992, PDI secured 1,025,485 votes and 13 seats in the Jakarta City Council; Golkar obtained 2,445,047 votes and 32 seats, and the United Development Party, 1,135,342 votes and 15 seats.

With the 27-day campaign period only 15 days away, Soerjadi urged his supporters to work hard.

The training took place in a area known as a Soerjadi stronghold, a source with the training committee said.

PDI will begin campaigning on April 29.

Soerjadi said campaigners would face many rules "and the atmosphere will not be as lively as before".

Parades are no longer allowed although convoys will continue to transport supporters to campaign areas.

Jakarta PDI chairman Lukman F. Mokoginta assured participants the party feud, in which chairwoman Megawati was unseated, would not affect votes.

"Voters are not personally oriented but party oriented," he said.

Party split

But one participant admitted he did not know of the party split and would follow any camp supported by the government. Others said they had joined because they had nothing else to do.

Mokoginta said the party would get new votes from first time voters who were PDI supporters in the 1992 election.

He declined to say how many members had returned to PDI after shifting to other parties.

Party officials would not disclose in which areas they would hold mass gatherings. From a contestant's allotted nine rounds for campaigns from April 27 to May 23, a campaign can be held for four rounds in subdistricts, three at district level and the other two at mayoralty level.

Supporters from other mayoralties are forbidden at one site.

When asked how PDI would prevent this, Lukman said: "We have no time to monitor such supporters, that is police business". (13)