Protesters want PDI chairwoman to resign
JAKARTA (JP): Around 200 protesters forced their way into the headquarters of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) yesterday, demanding the resignation of chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri.
Youths clad in black and red, the color of the party, unfurled banners, held up posters and shouted noisily, demanding an audience with Megawati who was inside chairing a leadership meeting.
The protesters, who come from East Java and West Java chapters, tried to break up the meeting which they called "illegal" as it represented the executive board they no longer recognized.
"Disperse the meeting!", the protesters yelled. "Cleanse the executive board from communist elements".
Security officers from the South Jakarta district police told the protesters to back off, and appoint some delegates to meet with the party leaders, instead.
"We can't disperse this leadership meeting because it has been approved by Jakarta Police, and we're authorized to guard it," the officers said. "If at the count of three you're still here, you will have to deal with us."
The protesters retreated and chose 10 people to represent them in meeting Untung Sutomo, A. Gani and A.C. Moerad from the executive board.
They demanded that the board dismiss Djajang Kurniadi, a newly elected chairman of the West Java chapter, whom they alleged to have past communist links. Djajang denied the accusation.
The board leaders fired back, demanding the protesters that they produce evidence to back up their accusation. Unable to do so, the protesters then stormed out of the building in anger.
Observers believed that the PDI's conflicts have been fanned by various forces fighting for their own interests.
Political analyst Kacung Marijan of the Surabaya-based University of Airlangga attributed the condition to individual members in PDI, as well as the political superstructure which does not wish to see PDI grow big and eclipse the ruling Golkar.
"The way I see it, Megawati has failed," Kacung told The Jakarta Post. "She hasn't functioned as a solidarity maker, and is not assertive enough in handling rebellions within PDI."
Greenhorn
Kacung called Megawati a relative greenhorn for the party.
"Politically, she's not mature enough and can't manage conflicts effectively," Kacung said.
He pointed out that not only PDI lacks "rules of the game" within the party, it also lacks a figure who can unite it. "We know that Golkar has President Soeharto as its solidarity maker...who does PDI have?" he said.
Kacung blamed uneven distribution of power within the party, which he said contributed greatly to the constant bickerings. "Too many people compete for power, too little power to be divided, and there's no rule of the game to speak of," he said.
He suggested that Megawati relies more on experienced people surrounding her in dealing with the growing discontent of her leadership. "She needs all the help she can get, particularly in dealing with the accusation of communism, which is a sensitive issue here," Kacung said. (swe)