PPP supporters' violence incited by outsiders: Tosari
PPP supporters' violence incited by outsiders: Tosari
JAKARTA (JP): An United Development Party (PPP) leader
defended yesterday the party's supporters accused of campaign
violence and vandalism by saying "outsiders" had provoked them.
PPP Secretary-general Tosari Widjaya said PPP supporters had
clashed mostly with Golkar supporters and some Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI) supporters after being stirred by unknown
groups.
Tosari said he agreed with Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen.
Slamet Supriadi's recent statement that there had been
"indications of infiltration" in the ranks of the parties'
supporters by people seeking to disrupt the election.
"However, we can't say who is doing the provocation. It's the
job of security personnel to identify and find them," Tosari told
The Jakarta Post.
The Moslem-based PPP's rallies in some towns across the
country have been marred by clashes and vandalism that have led
to injuries, the destruction of scores of houses and public
property.
At a May 1 street rally in the Central Java coastal town of
Pekalongan, a scuffle broke out between PPP supporters and Golkar
supporters. Eight people were injured and a government office,
other buildings and vehicles were vandalized or burned.
On the same day in Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, PPP
supporters attacked an office of state electricity company PLN
after a blackout during a rally.
On May 4 in Ujungpandang, dozens of shop-houses and a karaoke
bar were vandalized by PPP supporters. Supporters of the star-
symbol party also fought locals. In the fight, a car was burned
and a man was stabbed in the leg.
Tosari said the PPP supporters should not be considered the
sole cause of the problems. "The incidents should be observed
with a clear perspective, a look at the heart of the problems."
"Had the electricity company been more careful, the attack at
its office in Ujungpandang wouldn't have happened," he said.
He urged the public "to just let the crowd (his supporters)
be. Remember, you're dealing with crowds here, so take account of
crowd psychology."
Tosari said the May 4 stabbing of the Golkar supporter in
Ujungpandang had occurred after a PPP convoy was stopped and
pelted with stones by "agent provocateurs".
Asked if the party would apologize to those who have suffered
in the violence perpetrated by its supporters, Tosari said: "It
would be an appropriate thing to do, to apologize and to even
compensate them to the party's best ability, if it were our
supporters who started it all".
Tosari said his supporters had suffered in the incident in
Yogyakarta, where Golkar supporters attacked two PPP offices and
beat up a party official. The authorities had not yet arrested
the perpetrators.
The Yogyakarta Legal Aid Institute called on the authorities
yesterday to process campaign infringements.
"Whoever they are, whatever their organizations are, the
perpetrators should be processed according to the law," the
institute said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the PPP's campaign continued yesterday in Aceh,
provinces in Sumatra, Bali, East and West Nusa Tenggara and East
Timor.
At a rally in the North Sumatra capital of Medan, a local
campaigner surprised thousands of supporters by nominating PPP
chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum for 1998-2003 presidency.
The nomination was proposed by Muh. Husni Malik. The crowd in
Medan Johor district cheered. (aan/30/37/)