Soerjadi seeks military's help to take over HQ
JAKARTA (JP): Soerjadi, the government-backed leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), formally asked the Armed Forces (ABRI) to help retake the party's headquarters from Megawati Soekarnoputri, leader of the rival PDI board.
"The PDI central executive board this morning asked for ABRI's help in retaking the headquarters from Megawati's supporters," ABRI Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung told reporters yesterday before attending a cabinet meeting at Bina Graha presidential office.
Feisal, who met Soerjadi earlier yesterday morning, did not say if the military would send troops to expel Megawati supporters from the Jl. Diponegoro headquarters in Central Jakarta.
ABRI would wait for further developments, he said, stressing again that the row over the Diponegoro headquarters was essentially Soerjadi's board's problem.
Since replacing Megawati as party chairman at a rebel PDI congress in Medan on June 22, Soerjadi and his board have been working from his house in Jl. Denpasar.
Megawati's supporters have vowed to defend the headquarters with an around-the-clock vigil. The number of supporters has dwindled from thousands to a few hundred. Many of these supporters are armed with rattan sticks.
Soerjadi told a news conference yesterday that he had filed complaints with the ABRI chief about intimidation against some board members in the last two weeks.
Intimidation included anonymous phone calls threatening injury or murder. Some board members' houses were even pelted with stones, he said. And some of the PDI's regional leaders have suffered similar harassment.
All but two of Soerjadi's 39 member board met the military's top brass at ABRI's headquarters in Jl. Merdeka Barat yesterday. The two missing board members have remained loyal to Megawati by refusing to join Soerjadi's board.
Also at the meeting were Army Chief of Staff Gen. Hartono, Air Force Chief of Staff Vice Marshall Sutria Tubagus, Navy Chief of Staff Vice Admiral Arief Kushariyadi, National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Dibyo Widodo and ABRI Chief of General Affairs Lt. Gen. Soeyono.
Soerjadi, who met with Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. on Tuesday, said he had written to President Soeharto requesting an audience for him and his board: "We mailed the letter yesterday and hope to receive an answer soon."
It is customary for leaders of political and mass organizations to visit the President after their election or appointment.
Soerjadi said he and other board members plan to travel around the country to meet party members: "We will disseminate the results of the congress and consolidate the organization."
Yogie on Tuesday said the National Elections Institute would only recognize Soerjadi and his board for the 1997 general election, thereby excluding Megawati and her board from the poll.
Meanwhile, hundreds of PDI members from Jakarta branches protested outside the Jakarta provincial legislative council yesterday, denouncing the PDI legislators who support Soerjadi.
The protesters said in a petition that they reject the results of the congress which they call unconstitutional.
They also asked the government not to interfere with the party's internal problems.
Soemaryono, chairman of the PDI's Pademangan sub-district office, said some of the protesters had been offered up to Rp 5 million for canceling the demonstration and switching sides to support Soerjadi.
A delegation of PDI members was received by some of the council's Commission A members, led by Fatommy Ansaari. The commission deals with administrative affairs. (imn/yns)
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