Sudomo offers to mediate in PDI rivalry
JAKARTA (JP): Chief of the Supreme Advisory Council Sudomo offered yesterday to mediate in the deepening rift within the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI).
Sudomo's offer came as street protests against the recent government-backed congress that ousted democratically elected party chief Megawati Soekarnoputri continued in many parts of Indonesia.
Sudomo, a former commander of the powerful Internal Security Agency, said he would jump in if the PDI rival camps asked him to help them make peace.
The leadership conflict pits Megawati against her arch rival, Soerjadi, who was elected PDI chief at last month's rebel congress. The home affairs minister and the military have both recognized him.
"The leadership conflict has deeply polarized PDI," said Sudomo. He played a mediatory role in another leadership conflict within the party, between Isnaeni and Hardjanto Sumodisastro.
Sudomo advised that Megawati and Surjadi should settle the conflict through deliberation to reach consensus, as recently suggested by President Soeharto.
The Supreme Advisory Council is drafting a proposal to be submitted to the government on how to end the prolonged rift within the minority party, he said.
Meanwhile, support for Megawati remained strong in the provinces. Massive street protests took place in the Central Java towns of Klaten, Surakarta, Cilacap, Batang, Boyolali and Salatiga.
In Klaten, about 3,000 party activists marched down the street in a display of loyalty.
They marched for about five kilometers to the local party branch office, demanding that all rebel PDI members be sacked. "We reject Soerjadi and support Megawati's leadership," a protester shouted.
A similar show of support also took place in the nearby ancient city of Surakarta (Solo), involving about 500 activists.
They marched to the city legislative council buildings, where they denounced the rebel congress and party members who attended it.
In the East Java capital of Surabaya, hundreds of party activists who were formerly critical of Megawati planned to support her cause if the government retracted its backing for Latief Pudjosakti, her political foe.
Latief has been waging a tug of war against Sutjipto, a Megawati loyalist. Both Latief and Sutjipto claim to be the legitimate chief of the provincial PDI branch.
The East Java PDI leadership conflict erupted in 1994, when a local congress failed to elect a new chairman. Megawati rejected the election of Latief and appointed Sutjipto.
Buttu Hutapea, Soerjadi's secretary-general, said his camp welcomed President Soeharto's call for reconciliation.
"Please give us time to consolidate. We were inaugurated only a few days ago," he told journalists.
On Thursday, Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono said that Soeharto would like to receive Soerjadi only after the PDI leadership (from both camps) has been consolidated.
He said Soerjadi has dispatched teams to West Java and East Java to reconcile the opposing camps. The Soerjadi camp has also approached Megawati for peace talks, but there has been no response, Hutapea added.
Separately, Soetardjo Soerjogoeritno, one of Megawati's deputies, said that the President's statement implied that Soeharto refused to acknowledge Soerjadi.
Soetardjo said that to unite the opposing camps is impossible at present, when the government has recognized one camp and rejected the other.
He said the Megawati loyalists in the provinces have held congresses to consolidate her leadership. (imn/har/15/pan)