PPP boycotts poll campaign

Fri, 02 May 1997, 00:00 WIB | Source: JP

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)