PRD rallies with masses in Jakarta
By Sam King
JAKARTA — On May 28, hundreds of thousands took to the streets in support of Megawati Sukarnoputri and her Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-S). Thousands of workers, urban poor, students and other supporters of the People's Democratic Party (PRD) also contributed to the sea of red that overtook Jakarta.
The PRD campaign kicked off with five separate actions. The one in central Jakarta began with a rousing speech by PRD leader Dhyta Caturani which addressed the task of forging unity among all pro-reform forces.
Caturani also focused on ending the dual function of the military (ABRI), bringing Suharto to trial, withdrawing ABRI from East Timor, ending ABRI activity in Aceh and forming a transitional government.
Spirits soared as the participants overflowed four buses and scores of cars and motorbikes. The convoy paraded through the main streets for nearly two hours with continuous singing, dancing, chanting and speeches from bus roofs. They chanted "People united bring Suharto to justice", "People united withdraw the dual function of ABRI", "Revolution or death", "People united defeat Golkar" and "The people united will never be defeated".
Passing buses from the PDI-S campaign joined the chant "The people united will never be defeated". Sections of the massive crowds of spectators and party supporters on the roadside joined the PRD in chants and songs.
All the PRD convoys joined in a long march to the General Election Committee (KPU), which was guarded by anti-riot troops carrying automatic weapons.
Speakers from National Resistance of East Timor Students (Renetil), Student Solidarity with the Aceh Cause (Somaka) and the PRD national leadership talked about the repressive situation in Aceh, West Papua and East Timor as well as the national political situation. Unlike the campaigns of PDI-S or other parties, the PRD attempted political education of all who joined or watched the rally.
Faisal Reza, chair of the PRD central leadership committee, told Green Left that the PRD election campaign has been extremely successful in reaching out to and organising PRD supporters, in gaining support among journalists and in expanding the organisational base, which has now reached 30 secretariats in Jakarta alone.
On June 3 the PRD again mobilised as a huge crowd gathered, this time outside the University of Indonesia-Salemba. The agenda included a Jakarta-based free West Papua activist and six bands from Jakarta and Lampung playing "underground" leftist punk and dungdud music, which attracted many of the PDI-S supporters.
DI-S supporters passing by in their thousands took up the slogan "Withdraw the dual function of the military" and "The people united defeat Golkar". Many were shouting "Long live PRD" interchangeably with "Long live Mega", and PRD cars were swamped by PDI-S supporters asking for PRD flags to use in their rally.Body Text o present demands for changes to the unfair election laws, but 400 military personnel blocked the route. PRD leaders patrolled back and forth between the PRD and the military lines, using megaphones to explain that there was no point clashing with the military unless the majority of people were mobilised so that the people could win.