Jakarta – Following the retaking of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) headquarters by pro-Megawati Sukarnoputri PDI supporters the day before in Jakarta and Sumut [North Sumatra], on Friday afternoon, July 10, thousands of pro-Megawati PDI supporters simultaneously attacked and retook five branch offices in Jakarta. The retaking of the branch offices was lead by the head of the respective branches and involved thousands of supporters and sympathisers.
In North Jakarta, functionaries and thousands of PDI supporters moved from their branch office in Tanjung Priok towards the PDI offices controlled by the [government installed] pro-Suryadi "Puppet PDI" in Cilincing. This was done in each of the districts with simultaneously attacks to take back the offices. Their actions were part of an instruction by the pro-Megawati PDI leadership intended to consolidate the party throughout Indonesia.
Unlike the battle which broke out in the seizing of the Sumut offices, the retaking of the PDI offices in Joglo, West Jakarta, on Thursday, July 9, went flawlessly and without resistance. When around one thousand people entered to clean out the offices, it appeared that it had already been vacated. They began putting up flags and posters supporting the leadership of Megawati.
The retaking were enlivened when scores of women, members of a marching band wearing red shirts with the words "PDI Reform" sung songs of struggle. Local people became involved shouting and yelling their support for the pro-Megawati PDI. Shouts of disapproval at Suryadi and the Habibie government, which was considered "limited reform", echoed continuously.
In Medan, on Thursday July 9, thousands of pro-Suryadi PDI supporters tried to take back the Sumut offices on Jalan Raden Saleh from the hands of pro-Megawati PDI supporters who had seized the offices several days before. During the confrontation, both sides pelted each other with rocks for around one hour. Thirty-three Suryadi supporters – who are believed to be paid thugs – were wounded and are being treated in hospital.
According to the head of the pro-Megawati PDI in Sumut, Baskami Ginting, the offices is still under their control. "No one was wounded on our side, except for the attackers who tried to retake the offices", he explained to a SiaR correspondent.
[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski]