Soeharto's half brother organizes protest

BANTUL, Yogyakarta: A half brother of former president Soeharto who is the head of Argomulyo village in Bantul regency organized on Friday a protest against the endorsement of the regent's decree on village apparatus.

Decree No. 4/2000, which was approved by the regency legislature last year, rules on, among other things, the limitation of village officials' terms of office.

Previously a village head, for example, could hold the post twice consecutively, while the new decree limits it to only one five-year term.

Noto Suwito, who was allegedly involved in the killing of a local reporter, Udin, in 1996, hosted a meeting attended by 1,500 village officials from across the regency at his residence in Kemusuk village. They agreed in the meeting that a massive strike would be conducted if the new decree was not withdrawn. (44)