'Four forces' seen vying for power<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The influential Foundation of the Indonesian
\nLegal Aid Institute (YLBHI) said on Wednesday there were four
\nsocial forces involved in the political power struggle, including
\nthe remnants of Soeharto's New Order regime.<\/p>\n
YLBHI chairman Bambang Widjojanto, at the 28th anniversary
\ncelebration of the foundation, identified those who sought to
\nrevive Soeharto's influence in society as \"restorationists\". He
\nsaid this was evident in the fact that so far the law could not
\nreach the former president.<\/p>\n
\"This is evident in how strong the former president's
\npolitical position still is... (and how) the law is unable to
\ntouch him, and how there are still certain groups who give him
\nofferings in exchange for his blessing and 'power',\" Bambang
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The other three groups that he mentioned were the status quo,
\nthe reformists and the \"ambiguous\" group.<\/p>\n
The status quo were those interested in supporting and
\nmaintaining current President B.J. Habibie in power. \"The support
\nis not meant to build a legitimacy for Habibie per se ...but
\noften because the supporters believe they can obtain their
\nmaximal political agenda and interests under Habibie.\"<\/p>\n
Bambang identified the foundation as part of the third force,
\nthe reformists, who were dissatisfied with current conditions and
\ncontinued to campaign for a new, democratic Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"The fourth force is the 'ambiguous', who... want reform but
\nbecause of certain social and political positions, cannot free
\nthemselves from political constraints and so choose to stay
\nwithin power (status quo),\" he said.<\/p>\n
The mysterious murder spree in East Java towns and the
\npractice of blaming communists for various social and political
\nproblems, he said, should be put in the frame of the four forces'
\nstruggle for power.<\/p>\n
\"Politics here has yet to be free from laying blame, it is
\nstill a savage one... (as evident) in practices of slandering,
\nslaughtering or scapegoating. These are the faces of our
\npolitical configuration.\"<\/p>\n
Since its establishment on Oct. 28, 1970, YLBHI has sided with
\nneedy people in facing the law. Cases it has handled have tended
\nto be politically high profile, including the July 27, 1996
\nbloody takeover of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
\nheadquarters on Jl. Diponegoro, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Among prominent figures who attended the Wednesday ceremony
\nwere Adnan Buyung Nasution, H.C. Princen, Moh. Assegaf, Ali
\nSadikin, Mudji Sutrisno, Sri Bintang Pamungkas, Munir, Hotma
\nSiahaan and Ruhut Sitompul. (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/four-forces-seen-vying-for-power-1447893297",
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