Days of uncertainty<\/p>\n
Official assurances of security notwithstanding, there is no
\ndenying the ominous sense of uncertainty that is beginning to
\ngrip the Indonesian capital city as the scheduled date for the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to convene in a special
\nsession approaches.<\/p>\n
\"Scheduled\" is the key word in this particular instance and,
\nonce again, accusing fingers are pointed at Gus Dur -- President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid's popular nickname -- although the public
\ncontroversy over who is right and who is being unconstitutional
\nin the current political battle is far from closed.<\/p>\n
The issue in question is actually not a new one. The MPR
\ninsists it must hold a special session on Aug. 1 to ask the
\nPresident to account for his erratic policies of the past two
\nyears. President Abdurrahman Wahid, who initially questioned the
\nconstitutionality of the MPR holding a special session, finally
\nagreed to go along, but only as long as this supreme legislative
\nbody refrains from demanding an accountability report from the
\nhim.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman still insists the MPR has no business calling him
\nto account for his leadership at this juncture, much less impeach
\nand unseat him as president. Since the overwhelming majority of
\nthe MPR factions for their part refuse to budge from the
\nposition, a deadlock has arisen.<\/p>\n
Always the shrewd, if not mercurial political player, Gus Dur
\nhas given the legislators until July 20 to fall back, threatening
\nthem with the prospect of his declaring a state of civil
\nemergency and disbanding both \"houses\" of the national
\nlegislature, the House of Representatives (DPR) and the MPR.<\/p>\n
The MPR is, up to this moment, holding its ground, and will
\nmost likely continue to do so until the very end, which, given
\nGus Dur's stubborn and unpredictable nature, makes all sorts of
\ndevelopments in the coming days possible, if not likely.<\/p>\n
Under the worst-case scenario, thousands of the President's
\nfollowers from his East Java political home base and Central Java
\nwill descend on the capital to defend him at whatever cost. If
\nthat happens, bloody clashes between Gus Dur's followers and
\nopponents are far from imaginary -- not to mention the police and
\nmilitary who have vowed to secure the MPR special session from
\nundue disturbances.<\/p>\n
It is difficult to see how that could save the President from
\nbeing ousted. The problem, though, is what would be the
\nconsequences of such a development -- which no sane Indonesian
\ndesires. For now it looks pretty certain that the MPR will hold
\nits special session. The question is, when?<\/p>\n
The MPR board has called on its members to be ready to attend
\na plenary session at an hour's notice should Gus Dur go ahead
\nwith his plan to declare a state of emergency and dissolve the
\nlegislature. About 80 percent of its members were reportedly
\nalready in Jakarta as of yesterday.<\/p>\n
Under the present circumstances, the broad sketch of
\ndevelopments appears predictable enough. However, if events are
\nleft to themselves to develop, the price the nation will have to
\npay for the constitutional process to take its course will be
\nhigh.<\/p>\n
The best thing that can be hoped for is that all Indonesians
\n-- whatever their office, religious or political leaning, or
\nstation -- will come to realize that the only expedient way out
\nof the nation's current difficulties is in allowing the
\nConstitution to take its natural course.<\/p>\n
Democracy, it seems, is not something that is easily learned
\n-- all the more so in a diverse and traditional society such as
\nmakes up the majority of Indonesians. However, in its present
\ncondition, for Indonesia, time is of the essence. Unless
\nIndonesians are willing to learn and respect the ways of
\ndemocracy, the future looks bleak indeed.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/days-of-uncertainty-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}