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)