Pro-Gus Dur rally proceeds despite new bomb finding

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)