PPP boycotts poll campaign

YOGYAKARTA (JP): The local United Development Party (PPP) branch boycotted its campaign yesterday to protest attacks by Golkar supporters on two of its offices Wednesday.

Local PPP supporters lowered the party's flags and removed signs and posters that had been erected for its campaign in this ancient city.

"Let Golkar be satisfied by campaigning on its own," the branch's deputy secretary, Suwandi Danusubroto, said yesterday.

The removal of party signs began amid tension at 10 p.m. Wednesday. By 1 a.m. yesterday, yellow was the only color dominating the town.

In Kotagede, in the southeast of the town which is a stronghold of the Moslem-based PPP, about 1,000 angry PPP supporters and sympathizers demolished sidewalk flowerpots and roadside lamps, set up roadblocks with logs and stones and burned tires Wednesday night.

"We're ready to become martyrs," said a man in the crowd which protested until dawn yesterday. Scores of soldiers and riot police stood by on alert while the people vented their anger.

In neighboring Kauman, PPP supporters demonstrated their disillusion by displaying white coffins inscribed with "Democracy is dead".

An effigy clad in the party's green was hung by the neck in Kuncen subdistrict.

PPP branch chairman Alfian Darmawan said the party would no longer campaign because it wasn't safe.

"The decision will mean that we only campaigned here once, on April 29," he said.

Alfian said the attack on the party's branch offices on Jl. Veteran was just one of the destructive acts by Golkar security guards.

Alfian said PPP official Siswo Atmodjo was tortured by Golkar supporters when he was alone in his office Wednesday.

"I have witnesses willing to testify," Alfian said.

Local Golkar chapter official GPBH Joyokusumo said Golkar could not be automatically held responsible for the incident, arguing that the perpetrators might not be Golkar supporters.

"We'll go over it first, and will take firm action against those involved," he told reporters yesterday.

Head of the local Election Supervision Committee office, Asrief Adam, also promised to find out who was behind the incident.

District Military chief Col. Abdul Rahman Gaffar said security would be guaranteed in the next campaign rounds here. He regretted the PPP's decision to boycott the campaign.

The tension remained yesterday with several armored vehicles stationed around the town.

Posters and banners were hung around the damaged branch offices on Jl. Veteran, some challenged Golkar supporters to fight.

A scuffle between PPP and Golkar supporters broke out late Wednesday in Pekalongan, a town on the north coast of Central Java, leaving eight people injured and a government office and other buildings and vehicles damaged and burned.

The clash erupted after PPP supporters saw Golkar supporters removing PPP flags from a roadside.

It took military and riot police until 2 a.m. yesterday to disperse the fighters with tear gas.

District Military Chief Lt. Col. Tri Haryono said seven people had been arrested for inciting the clash.

Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman lamented the violence, saying that all three parties had agreed to abide by the election rules.

"Indonesia is known as a religious, courteous and civilized nation. Why can't we control our temper and behave properly?" Soesilo said. He said the campaign should not be stopped because of the violence.

The Election Supervision Committee's chairman, Singgih, said yesterday that all three parties had broken campaign rules and his office would punish them.

"If violations happen, we'll take action against them," he was quoted by Antara as saying in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, where he was monitoring the campaign. (38/har/mun/aan/imn/amd)

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