PKB supporters attack PPP backers, injuring 15
PKB supporters attack PPP backers, injuring 15
PEKALONGAN, Central Java (JP): Fifteen supporters of the
United Development Party (PPP) were injured in an attack by
supporters of the National Awakening Party (PKB), party officials
said on Thursday.
The attack occurred during a PPP campaign rally in Gemek
village on Wednesday. The PPP supporters were traveling to the
village square where a party rally was underway when PKB
supporters pelted them with stones, forcing them to flee their
vehicles, which the PKB supporters then vandalized.
An official at PPP's Central Java office, Imam Munadjab, said
the injured were still being treated at the hospital in
Pekalongan.
The head of the local PKB chapter, Cholil Bisri, was quoted by
AFP as saying the PKB members became enraged after the PPP
supporters insulted Abdurrahman Wahid, the party's presidential
candidate.
Abdurrahman is also the chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the
country's largest Muslim organization.
"They also tore our party flags and passed out leaflets
condemning our leaders as renegades," Bisri was quoted as saying.
On Wednesday night, at least 11 houses and two motorcycles
belonging to PKB supporters were damaged in the nearby areas of
Tegal Rejo, Medono and Kradenan in apparent retaliation for the
earlier clash.
Local PKB secretary Shodiqin Bazori said on Thursday that
there were no injuries in the second incident.
Several clashes pitting supporters of the two parties have
occurred in Pekalongan and nearby areas, where the two parties
are competing for the support of voters, particularly Muslims.
At least four people were killed in a clash between supporters
of the two parties in Jepara late last month.
Critics have blamed the rising hostility on Abdurrahman, who
has openly favored PKB while dismissing PPP, the Nahdlatul Ummat
Party (PNU) and the Muslim Community Awakening Party (PKU) --
parties which also derive their base of support from Nahdlatul
Ulama members.
Meanwhile, in the West Nusa Tenggara area of Selong, some 65
kilometers east of the provincial capital of Mataram, tens of
thousands of people attended an Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) campaign rally featuring party
chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri.
In the East Java town of Pasuruan, a campaign rally featuring
presidential hopeful Amien Rais, chairman of the National Mandate
Party (PAN), drew thousands of people on Thursday.
Amien, the former chairman of the country's second largest
Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah, arrived in a helicopter
accompanied by his wife Kusnasriyati Rahayu.
A number of previous planned visits by Amien to Pasuruan and
other nearby cities, known to be NU strongholds, were canceled at
the behest of local residents.
Amien said in his speech at the rally that the ruling Golkar
Party was PAN's "forgotten" friend.
Amien, Abdurrahman and Megawati have formed an alliance to
defeat the pro-status-quo forces in the elections.
Golkar has been widely criticized for naming President B.J.
Habibie, who is known for his close ties with former president
Soeharto, its sole presidential candidate.
In the Central Java city of Surakarta, a campaign rally in
Sriwedari Stadium featuring Golkar chairman Akbar Tanjung was
attended by some 2,000 supporters.
Akbar and his wife were forced to leave the stadium through
the back gate to avoid a hostile crowd waiting in front of the
stadium. Golkar supporters were seen removing party T-shirts and
symbols as they left the rally. Those who failed to do so were
pelted with stones by the crowd in front of the stadium.
Across the country, campaigning has been marked by hostility
not only toward Golkar's nomination of Habibie as its
presidential candidate, but also toward the party itself.
Golkar flags and banners have been torn down and burned
throughout Java and other parts of the country.
Golkar has been besieged for its alleged abuse of power and
corruption during the 32-year rule of Soeharto. (29/44/byg/har)