Sudomo offers to mediate in PDI rivalry
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)