Amien Rais backs NU call for reform<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Moslem leader Amien Rais backed yesterday the
\nrecent call of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the country's largest Moslem
\norganization, for the Armed Forces to support the people's and
\nstudents' demands for reform.<\/p>\n
"The NU stance was a clear signal," he said here yesterday.<\/p>\n
Amien, who chairs Muhammadiyah -- which with 28 million
\nfollowers constitutes the country's second largest Islamic
\norganization -- said here that it was now time for the Armed
\nForces (ABRI) to prove that its loyalty was really toward the
\nnation and the people.<\/p>\n
Amien said the increasingly loud calls for reform were
\nactually a test of ABRI's claim that it was the vanguard of the
\nnational interest. "ABRI is the backbone of the community. Now,
\nthe people are demanding the fulfillment of its promise that its
\nloyalty is toward the nation and the people, not the
\nadministration."<\/p>\n
He said that if ABRI found that the administration was
\nreneging on its mandate, it should withdraw its support for the
\ngovernment. ABRI should then, together with the community, create
\na new, legitimate administration.<\/p>\n
"The problem is, it now seems that ABRI has lost its sense of
\ndirection," he said, adding that in his view, ABRI's actions
\nhinged only on the words of one individual, namely President
\nSoeharto.<\/p>\n
"It's not right if, as an institution, ABRI is run by one
\nindividual," he said. "It is now time that ABRI, as an
\ninstitution, takes the right step (and chooses) whether to
\nprotect the interests of Soeharto and his family or to protect
\nthe interests of the nation.<\/p>\n
"ABRI always says that what's best for ABRI is best for the
\npeople ... now the people are waiting (for ABRI) to make its
\nchoice," he said.<\/p>\n
When asked whether ABRI would present a unified stance, Amien
\nsaid that the "stance of ABRI will be decided by the common
\nperception among the ABRI commander, Army chief of staff, chief
\nof the Army's Strategic Reserves Command, commandant-general of
\nthe Army's special force, Armed Forces chief of sociopolitical
\naffairs and Armed Forces chief of general affairs."<\/p>\n
If the top brass are united, the regional military commanders
\nwould surely follow suit, he asserted.<\/p>\n
When asked whether Muhammadiyah would also issue a formal
\nstatement in support of reform, Amien pointed out that he had
\nalways been voicing the organization's stance. He said he started
\nspeaking out about the need for reform in 1993.<\/p>\n
Succession<\/p>\n
"Muhammadiyah is of the stance that succession has to take
\nplace," he said, adding how his previous calls for "national
\ndialogs" and "national repentance" were belittled by many. "Now
\npeople realize that we do need national dialogs, national
\nrepentance."<\/p>\n
"Should a people's power movement take place, Muhammadiyah
\nmembers, who number millions of people, would surely support it,"
\nsaid Amien, who is also a staff lecturer at Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity's School of Social and Political Sciences.<\/p>\n
Another political observer, Mahfud M.D. of the Indonesian
\nIslamic University, agreed that ABRI should come forward and
\nrespond to the growing calls for reform, especially those voiced
\nby students in their demonstrations.<\/p>\n
He believed there were officers in the Armed Forces who wanted
\nto see reform too.<\/p>\n
"Meeting students' demands for reform would not by any means
\nendanger the nation. Some people think that by accommodating
\nstudent demands the nation will plunge into chaos.<\/p>\n
"It doesn't have to be that way. Let people assert themselves
\nin a peaceful and constitutional manner," he said. "If blocked,
\nthe campaign for reform might instead have to resort to
\nunconstitutional means."<\/p>\n
Amien pointed out that if all conventional avenues to further
\ndemocratization were blocked, people would have to find
\n"unconventional solutions."<\/p>\n
"There's no other way but peaceful, nonviolent people's power
\nfor reform," he said, citing how both the government and the
\npeople, as represented by the students, were bent on maintaining
\ntheir own stance and demands.<\/p>\n
"The government is adamant that anything the People's
\nConsultative Assembly has decided should not be reviewed, and
\nSoeharto has to be given a chance until 2003 (when the current
\nfive-year term of office expires).<\/p>\n
"Meanwhile, people (facing) insufferable suffering want to
\nlimit his term.<\/p>\n
"If, within one semester, Soeharto fails to overcome the
\n(economic) crisis, it'd be better if his mandate was revoked. If,
\nwithin these six months, his performance improves, it's an
\nindication he is able to handle the crisis ... if not, a people's
\npower movement could take place," he said.<\/p>\n
Right<\/p>\n
Gen. (ret) Abdul Haris Nasution said it was students' right
\nand duty to voice people's demands for reforms. Indonesia's most
\nsenior military figure told reporters in Jakarta yesterday that
\nno one should try to hinder the students' actions.<\/p>\n
He noted that some individuals or groups might be unhappy with
\nthe students' push for reform. He stressed, however, that
\nstudents should not compare their actions today with those of
\ntheir counterparts in the past.<\/p>\n
"The substance of current students' aspirations is different
\nfrom their seniors of the 1966 generation, who together with the
\nArmed Forces fought against members of the outlawed Indonesian
\nCommunist Party," he said.<\/p>\n
He said that today ABRI and the students had different
\ninterests.<\/p>\n
"The students want reform, while ABRI wants them to stay
\ninside their campuses and not to go onto the streets in order to
\nvoice their aspirations," he said. (swe\/imn)<\/p>",
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