Rival leaders of PDI attack each other

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) celebrated its 24th anniversary yesterday with the opposing leaders showing no signs of the reconciliation many have recommended.

The government-recognized party chief Soerjadi celebrated the anniversary in Central Sulawesi and ousted chief Megawati Soekarnoputri at her residence in Jakarta.

Enlivening Soerjadi's party were armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung and Home Affairs Minister Moch. Yogie S.M. while Megawati's "honorable" guests were Abdul Madjid and Sabam Sirait, aging politicians who helped found the party in 1973.

The revelry at Megawati's mansion attended by some 400 of her loyalists passed without incident despite a threat by Feisal that the authorities would "take punitive action" against the organizers because it was held without a permit.

Megawati "disguised" the gathering as a breaking of the fast dinner in a clever tactic to avoid trouble with the authorities over the official permit.

In the Central Sulawesi capital of Palu, police reportedly arrested seven Megawati loyalists who planned to stage a demonstration against Soerjadi. They were freed hours later.

Both Soerjadi and Megawati issued political statements that politely attacked each other and the government.

In the Central Sulawesi town of Tentena, Soerjadi told his supporters "some people" had exploited the PDI's internal conflict for their own political gains.

He charged that his political foes had been out to discredit his leadership and had resorted to "anarchy" in their efforts to gain ground.

Soerjadi did not name names. It is understood that his presence has been violently rejected in numerous areas, especially in Java by Megawati supporters who claim he is a government puppet.

He said what the party needed now was to regain peace so that it could consolidate and end the on-dragging conflict.

Soerjadi also criticized the government of being less responsive to the people's wish for justice.

"Recent mob violence in the provinces is a manifestation of people's anger at the widespread injustices," he was quoted by Antara as saying.

Soerjadi ousted Megawati in a government-backed congress in Medan in June. But Megawati insists the maneuver was illegal and maintains she is still the legitimate leader.

At her party, Megawati called on her supporters to go to the polls next year despite the leadership conflict within the minority party.

"Keep your poll registration card and use it when the election day comes," she said.

Megawati's political foes have charged her with suggesting her supporters boycott the May 29 election this year to show their frustration with the political situation.

She blamed the on-dragging internal rift on Soerjadi's camp for acting like "political hoodlums". She also accused the government of meddling in the party's internal affairs.

The "third party", she said, stirred up the internal dispute that culminated in the infamous July 27, 1996 riot in Jakarta, in which five people were killed and 23 people went missing.

"The course of PDI's internal disputes was worsened by political hoodlums who resorted to unconstitutional ways," she said.

Megawati also express her concern over the recent series of riots and called for people to promote tolerance and solidarity.

"Let us join together in our mutual efforts to create a more democratic nation based on the state ideology Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution," she said.

Meanwhile, Feisal told reporters after attending the government-recognized celebration in Tentena that the government had never allowed anybody but the party's chairman Soerjadi to hold the event. (imn/amd)