Soerjadi's PDI ponders reconciliation
JAKARTA (JP): Smarting from its general election defeat, the Soerjadi-led Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) has offered a reconciliation with PDI rival faction led by Megawati Soekarnoputri.
PDI secretary-general Buttu Hutapea said a national dialog with Megawati, as well as other party potentials, could help the party reach some compromises before next year's party congress.
"We propose a dialog after hearing suggestions from many public figures, political experts and the government who all want to see the PDI unite.
"We realize that we gain nothing from this continuing antagonism," Buttu said.
He said the dialog could run for 11 months if necessary, adding that during the talks both sides could set a date for next year's congress, in which party members would elect their chairperson for the 1998/2003 period.
"It can be held in August, September or any other time depending on the agreement between us, as long as it accommodates all potentials of the party," Buttu said.
"Everybody will be happy if the future party leader is elected by all factions within the party."
The government-recognized leadership of PDI had set the congress for June, but Megawati supporters want to make it in December.
Buttu said he doubted that separate congresses could solve the problems the party faces.
Megawati was elected party chairwoman by popular support in December 1993 in place of Soerjadi.
But a breakaway, government-backed congress in June last year toppled her and reinstated Soerjadi in the top post.
Rifts between the two factions boiled over with the forceful takeover of the party's headquarters, which sparked bloody riots in July 27 last year. At least five people were killed and 23 are still missing from the incident.
The internal bickering severely affected the party in the May 29 general election.
PDI managed to attain only 3 percent of the vote. The tiny number of votes gave it just 11 House of Representatives seats, a sharp drop from the 56 seats it gained in the 1992 election.
Buttu said it would be impossible to hold a joint congress if both sides refused to talk and reach agreement on the terms of the congress.
"Such a congress would only be filled with rude words. We can only prompt a joint congress after the two factions give signs of compromise," he said.
Megawati has filed hundreds of lawsuits against Soerjadi and the government for her dismissal, with Bekasi and Riau district courts favoring her.
Her legal battle received another boost last week when the Jakarta High Court ruled that the Central Jakarta District Court could hear her lawsuit against Soerjadi. (amd)