Two killed, six injured in attack at PDI-P office

Two killed, six injured in attack at PDI-P office

Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra

At least seven people were seriously injured when thousands of
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan)
supporters attacked the party's provincial office here on
Thursday.

The party supporters arrived from several districts in Medan,
led by Doni Arsal Gultom, and were protesting the decision of the
North Sumatra provincial office of PDI Perjuangan to approve the
appointment of Usaha Ginting as chairman of the party's Medan
branch.

The angry supporters, many armed with knives, machetes,
sickles and other sharp weapons, arrived at the building at
around 11:30 a.m. and went on a rampage.

Some 85 party members inside the building tried to resist the
attackers, but they were outnumbered.

The attackers also tried to set the building on fire, but
failed.

For nearly an hour, the attackers ran amok, destroying the
building's windows and fences. Six motorcycles parked at the
compound were also destroyed.

Those who were injured were identified as Benny Yusar, Kasman
Simarmata, Zaenal Abidin, Rudiansyah, Hotma Indra, Ridwan
Hutabarat and Aceng.

The protesters accused the provincial office of failing to
honor a decision reached at a congress in April 2002, when Doni
Arsal Gultom was elected chairman of the Medan branch.

The provincial office had held another congress on Sept. 22
this year to overrule Doni's election.

Monday's congress, attended by the heads of 39 of 60 sub-
branches in North Sumatra, elected Usaha Ginting as chairman of
the Medan branch of PDI Perjuangan.

The protesters charged that Ginting's appointment was illegal
and a scheme to oust Doni Arsal Gultom.

Although Doni was elected chairman of the Medan branch last
year, the North Sumatra provincial office never endorsed his
appointment, which delayed the party's central board of
executives -- led by Megawati Soekarnoputri -- in issuing a
letter of approval for Doni's appointment.

Head of the Medan Polonia sub-branch Ranjid, who joined
Thursday's attack, said the incident could have been avoided
had the North Sumatra provincial office honored the results of
the 2002 congress.

Ranjid added that the protesters could not tolerate the
provincial office's decision to allow the recent congress to be
held.

"The participants of last year's congress elected Doni Arsal
as chairman (of the Medan branch), so why did the provincial
office allow the (recent) congress? This is unacceptable, and a
violation of party rules," he told The Jakarta Post.

Ranjid urged the party's leaders in Jakarta not to issue a
letter approving Usaha Ginting's appointment.

"If chairwoman Megawati Soekarnoputri approves of Usaha
Ginting's appointment, we are ready to continue our opposition,"
said Ranjid.

Deputy chairman of PDI Perjuangan North Sumatra Japorman
Saragih said the recent congress was held upon instruction from
the party's central board in Jakarta.

"We were just following party orders. We didn't know the
reason behind the instruction," he told the Post.

Japorman regretted the attack and added, "We respect their
aspirations to protest the decision, but they should not have
resorted to anarchy. We want the police to deal with this."

Medan Police chief Adj. Comr. Irwan Anwar said the police had
not made any arrests in connection with the attack.