Soerjadi faces strife in E. Java

JEMBER, East Java (JP): Soerjadi, chairman of the government- sanctioned faction of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), made his first campaign appearance in East Java yesterday, a stronghold of ousted party chief Megawati Soekarnoputri.

His trip featured tight security with Megawati loyalists, in some places, trying to disrupt gatherings.

Soerjadi told 1,000 supporters about his party's program, while about 600 soldiers and riot police stood between them and 200 Megawati supporters.

The Megawati supporters, mostly Madurese led by I Made Dangin, demanded that Soerjadi be barred from campaigning. They yelled and swore at Soerjadi's rally.

Jember police chief Lt. Col. Abdul Madjid Tawil and his officers eventually persuaded the Megawati supporters to leave.

He said, "I don't want to discuss this with you. I'm not here because I support Soerjadi. I only maintain security. If you insist on entering (the rally grounds), then you're disturbing order."

Security was tight even before Soerjadi arrived in the city with troops stationed across the city.

After the rally, Soerjadi left for Denpasar, Bali, another Megawati stronghold.

In North Jakarta, hundreds of Megawati supporters were broken up by security personnel when they tried to disrupt a convoy of Soerjadi supporters.

Riding on two trucks and about 30 motorbikes, the Megawati supporters gathered about three kilometers from the PDI branch headquarters. They then went in convoy to the Soerjadi gathering at a youth center in Tanjung Priok.

They chanted "Long life Mega" all the way and waved the party's three-finger sign. Outside the youth center, they demonstrated and shouted "Megawati is the people's voice" and "Mega will win".

Dozens of security officers with shields and rattan sticks herded the 150 people away from the center. North Jakarta Police chief, Lt. Col. Rismawan, ordered Ida Mahfuda, a PDI North Jakarta leader and Megawati loyalist, to disperse the group.

Ida agreed so long as the police guaranteed her followers would not be beating.

"You are just a woman and you try to defy us?" Rismawan said.

Laode, another Megawati supporter, told The Jakarta Post that the group had not acted for the Megawati faction because Megawati had instructed all her supporters to boycott the campaign.

"We only wanted to protest the campaign of Soerjadi's group. What we want is no campaign in the PDI's name," he said.

About 300 security officers guarded the center and check anyone attempting to enter. A Megawati loyalist was denied entry. "From which PDI are you, do you have the invitation (to join the campaign)?" a police said to him.

In the easternmost province of Irian Jaya, thousands of PDI supporters rallied on the streets of Jayapura and Abepura cities.

Violations

Jakarta Police Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata said last night there had been 349 violations of campaign regulations in the first eight days of campaigning.

The violations varied from running traffic lights to throwing stones at cars belonging to supporters of rival parties, Hamami said.

There had been 238 traffic violations, police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said. The other 111 violations were for taking under-age children to rallies and destroying and burning parties' signs.

"As many as 96 cases of violations were committed by the people who joined the PPP (United Development Party) campaigns, 54 in Golkar's campaigns and 68 in PDI campaigns," Aritonang said.

He said 287 violators had been charged, but none were detained.

Hamami said the situation in greater Jakarta was under control. "I think the situation here is okay, but we are on alert. If the situation worsens, we are ready to double our personnel," Hamami said.

Some of the PPP's rallies were marred with violence yesterday. In Ujungpandang, PPP chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum addressed thousands of supporters who then rampaged and vandalized property.

In Yogyakarta, PPP supporters demonstrating a recent Golkar attack on two of PPP local offices were forcibly dispersed by the security personnel. The supporters were carrying mock coffins inscribed with "death of democracy".

Two of the young supporters, many in sarong, were reportedly injured at 1 a.m. when the soldiers hit them with rattan sticks.

The PPP had cancelled campaign in Yogyakarta and in Jakarta. However, chairman Ismail Hasan Metareum said the party will resume campaign in Jakarta, Java provinces, Maluku and Irian Jaya today.

Golkar rallies had huge turnouts yesterday. Chairman Harmoko said in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, that Golkar did not want instant, radical changes to the country's economic and political systems. (nur/amd/swe/aan/05/cst)

More stories on Page 2

Editorial -- Page 4