Soeharto says groups aimed to topple govt
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto condemned yesterday the Democratic People's Party (PRD) and other groups which were exploiting the Indonesian Democratic Party's (PDI) leadership rift in an attempt to topple the government and revive communism.
Soeharto said the groups used democracy and human rights as a mask to carry out their subversive activities to undermine the government.
Soeharto's remarks were conveyed to the public by State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman who had met him to discuss the Olympic Games and the political situation.
The President said that in the past these organizations were without form, hiding in the shadows. But now they had come into the open with a clear agenda and communist doctrines.
The rift within the PDI culminated on July 27 in the brutal takeover of the party headquarters from the supporters of the democratically elected Megawati Soekarnoputri by the government- backed breakaway leader Soerjadi.
The takeover triggered riots that claimed at least four lives, and prompted the arrest of activists from the little-known PRD and its affiliate organizations which have been accused of inciting the riots.
"They used the conflict in the PDI to overthrow the legitimate government and replace the Pancasila ideology with something that is alien to us," the President was quoted by Hayono as saying.
Directing his warnings at the nation's youth, Soeharto stressed that the latent danger of communism is real. It is not something that is being made up, said the President.
Hayono said the president had noted that the groups were anti- establishment and aimed to mobilize disgruntled people who had not been successful out of the nation's development.
Referring to the PDI, Soeharto stated the internal conflicts or disagreements within a political organization should also be resolved internally.
He then reaffirmed the legitimacy of the Soerjadi leadership of the PDI.
Soeharto added that if people had gripes about the government, they should follow Megawati's example and take legal action.
Hayono expressed the government's strong suspicion that the subversive organizations were being abetted by foreigners.
However, he said, the assistance came from private foreign organizations, not governments. He claimed the foreign groups were unhappy by the fast progress being achieved in Indonesia.
"The motivation of the external groups is to push Indonesia away from tight global market competition," the minister said.
Armed Forces Chief of Social and Political Affairs Lt. Gen. Syarwan Hamid has said the military is investigating a report that the PRD had received assistance from an Australian labor organization.
Meanwhile in Manila, AFP reported that the Philippine foreign office has asked the Philippine defense department to verify reports of Filipino communist rebels training opposition forces in Indonesia.
An official, who requested anonymity, said the foreign office wants to clarify the allegation made by an Indonesian general in an interview with Time magazine.
Philippines Foreign Undersecretary Rodolfo Severino described the situation in Indonesia as an "internal matter" which the Philippines should not comment on.(mds)