Gus Dur hints at giving support to defiant Megawati<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Abdurrahman Wahid, chief of the 30-million
\nstrong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), has pledged to help support Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, the besieged chief of the Indonesian Democratic
\nParty (PDI).<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman, who is known to be close to Megawati, said
\nyesterday he had half-opened his door to her in support of her
\ncause.<\/p>\n
He said many NU activists were traditionally supporters of the
\nconservative Moslem-oriented United Development Party (PPP),
\nwhich is PDI's closest competitor.<\/p>\n
\"If I fully open my door (to Megawati), they (PPP members) may
\nchase and 'butcher' me,\" Abdurrahman told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
\"You know the PPP is scared the PDI will outshine it in next
\nyear's election, capturing its position as second fiddle after
\nGolkar (the ruling party).\"<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman, affectionally known as Gus Dur, was discussing
\nthe leadership crisis now plaguing the PDI, an alliance of
\nnationalist and small Christian parties.<\/p>\n
Megawati, a daughter of Indonesia's first president Sukarno,
\nhas been claiming massive grassroots support since she was
\ntoppled by her rivals in a government-backed congress last week.<\/p>\n
Megawati, who was democratically elected in an extraordinary
\ncongress in 1993, has received much popular support. She
\nadamantly claims to be the party's legitimate boss.<\/p>\n
The government has shifted its recognition of PDI's leadership
\nfrom her to Soerjadi, who was elected in last week's rebel
\ncongress. On Thursday, Director General for Sociopolitical
\nAffairs Sutoyo NK announced that the government would no longer
\nrecognize Megawati's camp.<\/p>\n
Supporters of Megawati have been pouring onto the streets to
\nvoice their rejection of the rebel congress and to denounced the
\ngovernment's support for Soerjadi.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman made headlines in local newspapers last week when
\nhe appeared at the foreign correspondent club in Jakarta while
\nMegawati was giving a press conference. He said he had swung his
\nsupport behind Megawati.<\/p>\n
He said yesterday the government wants to see Megawati toppled
\nbecause of a survey which indicated that her popularity could win
\nup to 40 percent of the vote in next year's general election.<\/p>\n
Golkar would receive only 40 percent of the vote and the PPP
\nthe remaining 20 percent, he said: \"If the estimate is true,
\nIndonesia may have to change its whole (political) system.\"<\/p>\n
The three political parties, PDI, PPP and Golkar, will contest
\n425 of the 500 seats in the House of Representatives next year.
\nOf the 400 seats contested in the last general election, Golkar
\ncurrently holds 282, the PPP holds 62 and the PDI holds 56.<\/p>\n
From next year, the number of seats reserved for the Armed
\nForces will be reduced from 100 to 75.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman said he believed the current wave of pro-Megawati
\nstreet demonstrations would not turn into a fully fledged people
\npower movement which could pose a threat to government.<\/p>\n
\"What we have seen over the past few days are harsh responses
\nfrom certain sectors of society. But the protests may snowball if
\nthe military resorts to brutality,\" he warned.<\/p>\n
According to Abdurrahman, the emergence of a power-to-the-
\npeople movement could only occur if mass organizations united and
\nmobilized their members to revolt.<\/p>\n
The NU, Indonesia's largest Moslem organization, has been
\ncommitted to its socio-educational mission and has avoided
\nstraying into politics since 1984.<\/p>\n
Its leadership, however, allows its members to engage in
\npolitical activities according to their own beliefs.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman, well-known for his controversial political and
\nreligious views, said that the current political tension sparked
\nby the PDI coup has contributed positively to the growth of
\ndemocracy in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He said the bureaucracy's support for PDI rebels has put the
\ngovernment on the defensive.<\/p>\n
\"Now young people stare at a nervous government. This is good
\nfor democracy,\" said Abdurrahman, who also chairs Forum Demokrasi
\n(a democratic discussion group).<\/p>\n
He said that not all government and military officials agree
\nwith Soerjadi's appointment over Megawati.<\/p>\n
The different stances are reflected in the way that security
\nofficials handled pro-Megawati PDI activists in different places,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
In Yogyakarta, for example, observers were dumbfounded when
\ndemonstrators held an eight kilometer street march without the
\nusual backlash from security officers, he said. (pan)<\/p>",
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