PPP chief protests at seizure of banners

SURABAYA (JP): United Development Party (PPP) chief Ismail Hasan Metareum yesterday denounced the seizure of party banners during a street rally in Malang, 90 kilometers south of here, on Sunday.

Scores of banner-waving PPP activists poured into the streets in the cool town to celebrate the party's 23rd anniversary when the incident happened.

"I regret the authorities' actions. They gave no acceptable reason why they seized the banners," Ismail Hasan told The Jakarta Post.

Eyewitnesses said dozens of police officers stopped the activists, mostly youths, and forced them to give up their banners.

Police said they feared the bamboo sticks on which the banners were tied might be used to attack people in the event of the rally turning violent.

"We did what they (police officers) asked us to do to avoid any unwanted occurrences," a Malang PPP official said. He added that some activists were infuriated but party officials managed to calm them down.

Party sources in Malang said the incident was considered closed, but it is unclear how things were settled.

The Sunday incident was just the latest in a series of police bans on banner displays by PPP members. Recently, several city administrations in Central Java banned posters which had been displayed on the streets and which demanded a fair election in 1997.

The Moslem-oriented party was recently rocked by the news of thousands of its members in West and East Java changing sides and now supporting Golkar, the ruling political organization.

Ismail Hasan said he was aware of the treason but claimed that the number was not as high as reported in the mass media. (15/pan)