Persistent harassment

One can only be amazed at the lengths to which the government is prepared to go to in trying to demolish the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) led by Megawati Sukarnoputri. President B.J. Habibie is repeating the mistakes of his predecessor Soeharto with his persistent harassment of the PDI Perjuangan, as the Megawati camp is popularly called to distinguish it from the PDI executive board created by the government. Just as during the Soeharto years, the harder the current government tries, the worse its image gets, both at home and abroad, while at the same time, the more popular Megawati becomes.

One would think that the government would have learned its lesson by now. But then, we may be overstating the intellectual capacity of both past and present governments.

In the latest round of harassment, the government is trying to shift the venue of a congress the PDI Perjuangan is planning to hold next week away from Bali. The reason given is that Bali is Indonesia's prime tourist destination and that foreigners could be discouraged from going to the island, should the event turn rowdy and violent.

Admittedly, many PDI congresses in recent years have turned into physical clashes between the party's bickering camps, evidence of which can be seen as recently as last month, when a congress held by the government-backed PDI executive board in Palu, Central Sulawesi, was marred by riots. However, a closer look at these incidents reveals that the bickering, and hence the violence, has resulted because of heavy-handed government intervention. Three congresses held by the party in 1993 turned violent as a result of the government's attempts to prevent Megawati's election to the party chair, against the wishes of the party's rank and file. In 1996, a breakaway group, backed by the government and the military, held a congress and ousted Megawati.

Now, under the multiparty system, there is no reason for anyone to quarrel about which of the two camps has the legitimate claim to represent the PDI. They are essentially two different parties with different leaders and supporters, but with the same name. One is no more and no less legitimate than the other because their ultimate legitimacy will be decided upon by the people at next year's general election. That means there is little likelihood of infighting at the PDI congress.

The government's warning that the Bali meeting could turn riotous and drive tourists away is unfounded. That is, unless the government knows something that the rest of the nation doesn't with regards to plans to disrupt the meeting. Even if this is the case, then it's the job of the police to ensure the safety of congress participants and maintain peace and order.

The attempt to shift the congress away from Bali also begs basic constitutional questions. Does this mean that Bali should be free from political activities for the sake of tourists' dollars? What does this say about the rights of the Balinese people?

One can't help but feel that the government's real intention is to deny the PDI Perjuangan its right to assemble, and that the government is likely come up with similar excuses if any other venue is chosen: Jakarta is too close to the nation's business heart, Yogyakarta too close to the nation's art and cultural center, and Surabaya too close to vital industrial sites.

The attempt to ban the PDI congress is certainly consistent with the persistent and systematic way in which the government has harassed Megawati and her supporters since 1996. Some of her supporters have been labeled communists and jailed; others were subjected to physical abuse -- on this count one immediately recalls the bloody attack on the PDI's Jakarta headquarters by a bunch of thugs in July 1996 while the police stood back and watched. Megawati and her camp were also barred from contesting the 1997 election.

President Habibie has not been much better in his treatment of Megawati and her supporters. In July, his government barred Megawati from holding a rally in Jakarta's Senayan Sports Palace, a venue subsequently used by many of the newly established political parties for their rallies.

The authorities have tried virtually everything in their power, from intimidation and disinformation to terror campaigns, to destroy Megawati and her camp. Not only have they failed, they have inadvertently made the PDI Perjuangan stronger and more popular. Should Megawati win the election next year -- assuming that the PDI Perjuangan is allowed to contest it -- she will have the government to thank for her success.

Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that this harassment will come to an end, and there is no telling how far the government is prepared to go, especially if it becomes exasperated, to achieve its goal of destroying Megawati's PDI. We hope the government will soon come to its senses and stop seeing Megawati and her PDI Perjuangan as a threat, and instead treat them as one of many political parties preparing to contest next year's general election. Whether they win or not, that's for the voters decide.