Soerjadi trusted to solve rift within PDI

JAKARTA (JP): The government disavowed yesterday responsibility over the fracture in the minority Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), saying that it is chairman Soerjadi who should do more to settle the problems.

The director general of sociopolitical affairs at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Sutoyo N.K., said yesterday the government hoped Soerjadi would not take a passive stance and settle the dispute without any outsider help.

The government backed Soerjadi's rise to the party's helm in a breakaway congress in June, 1996, toppling Megawati Soekarnoputri who won by popular vote in the 1993 extraordinary congress.

"We hope he (Soerjadi) won't be passive (and will find ways) to solve the dispute in the party," Sutoyo told reporters.

Sutoyo was commenting on the recent reconciliatory gesture that Soerjadi's faction extended to, but was later rejected by, Megawati's faction. The latter said dialog for possible reconciliation should instead come from the government.

"We will only hold discussions with the government," said Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, a Megawati loyalist.

In apparent frustration over the party's rift, PDI secretary- general Buttu R. Hutapea offered Friday a reconciliation to the Megawati faction. He said national dialog between the two factions might help the party reach some compromise before next year's congress.

Sutoyo dismissed the possibility for the government to mediate, pointing out that as far as the party is concerned, there is only one PDI. The government said earlier it only recognized Soerjadi's faction.

"It's not necessary for the government to mediate the party's internal dispute," he said, adding that he believed PDI's central board under Soerjadi was able to settle the problem.

"You (journalists) observed that the PDI central board was able to undergo all stages of the May 29 general election. I believe they will eventually settle their problems," he said.

Among the most urgent tasks facing the party is regaining its member support and sympathy after its total failure in the general election.

PDI managed to secure only 11 House of Representatives seats, a sharp drop from the 56 seats it gained in the 1992 election. Its competitors, Golkar and the Moslem-oriented United Development Party (PPP) respectively won 325 and 89 of the 425 contested seats.

Another, no less difficult problem is party executives' criticism of "old PDI cracks" who refused to give up their House seats for younger party leaders. Some senior PDI politicians have served more than two terms in the House.

Asked about Soerjadi's failure to at least maintain PDI's past election achievement, Sutoyo passed the buck again to the party.

When asked whether it was necessary to move the party congress ahead of the scheduled date of June or December 1998, Sutoyo said it would again depend on the PDI central board.

Hutapea said on Friday the date for the congress, during which a new chair will be elected, could be negotiated in the proposed dialog.

The Soerjadi faction earlier announced plans to hold the congress in June, while Megawati wanted it in December.

Megawati has been waging a legal battle against Soerjadi and the government over her removal in the June congress in Medan, North Sumatra, last year.

The rift between the two factions widened with the violent takeover of the party's headquarters from Megawati supporters by those loyal to Soerjadi. The incident sparked bloody riots on July 27 last year, which left five people dead and 23 others missing. (imn)