Pro-Gus Dur rally proceeds despite new bomb finding
SURABAYA (JP): Another bomb was found at the compound of gubernatorial office here on Sunday, ahead of a rally against the planned special session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) later in the day.
The bomb, the second in two days, was located a few hours before some 3,000 people, representing 66 organizations, aired support for President Abdurrahman Wahid at the Gelora Pancasila Stadium, where the first bomb was found on Friday.
The latest explosive, measuring 10 centimeters by 15 centimeters and weighing 0.25 kilograms, was discovered at around 6.30 a.m. by a rice-seller, Farida, 70, at the base of a radio transmitter tower belonging to the provincial administration, just behind the gubernatorial office building.
Farida runs a food stall around the tower, which stands next to a generator.
The bomb was wrapped in a plastic bag, which Farida had initially thought contained cookies.
A curious Farida then reported the finding to the police, who came to the scene in 10 minutes and quickly defused the bomb. Members of the bomb squad combed the gubernatorial office building to find other possible bombs.
"Looking at the timer, the bomb was supposed to explode at 9 a.m.," North Surabaya Police Precinct chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Nur Jayadi said.
The bomb squad personnel dismembered the cables, detonator, the explosive material and the fuse.
He said the finding was "a blessing from God" because the bomb was planted just some 300 meters from a seasonal market, where thousands of people usually buy cheap items.
Jayadi said the bomb had the capacity to have caused substantial damage across a 400-meter-wide range.
The police questioned Farida and an on-duty security guard of the provincial office to find out the origin of the explosive.
Peaceful
The rally, which organizers called the East Java People's Congress, ended peacefully with a resolution to maintain the present national leadership under President Abdurrahman Wahid and Vice President Megawati.
Participants of the rally came from the province's Islamic, nationalist, labor, student, youth and ethnic organizations. The gathering lasted for two hours with speakers calling on the government to disband the Golkar Party.
Basuki, leader of Surabaya's pro-reform group, described the special session as "an attempt by New Order elements to bring down President Wahid and stage a comeback."
The Madurese pedicab association branded the special session, "a plot by political crooks at the House of Representatives", while calling on the MPR to struggle for the public interest against any split in government leadership.
Congress representatives in their declaration rejected the MPR special session in August, supported the Wahid-Megawati duet and appealed for the prosecution and trial of public criminals and New Order elements in state institutions.
Ahmad Bakhtiar Balukh, chairman of the congress committee, stressed that all participants "were loyal to the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia and dismissed the idea of a separatist East Java state."
He told The Jakarta Post that police had tried, but failed, to discontinue the rally and the congress resolution would soon be submitted to the President and Vice President as well as the MPR.
Following the bomb finding on Friday, the local police asked the rally organizers to think twice before proceeding with the gathering in a bid to maintain peace and stability in the province. (nur)