Soerjadi seeks military's help to take over HQ

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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