Gus Dur to keep on fighting for democracy<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Ousted President Abdurrahman Wahid reiterated,
\nupon his arrival in Washington DC for medical treatment, that he
\nwould fight to uphold democracy in Indonesia, Antara reported on
\nSaturday.<\/p>\n
\"I will fight for democracy,\" he said, as he arrived at Dulles
\nInternational Airport in Virginia on Friday afternoon (Saturday
\nmorning Indonesian time).<\/p>\n
The former president and his entourage arrived aboard a
\ncommercial British Airways flight after transiting in Singapore
\nand London.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman, or Gus Dur as he is affectionately called, was
\naccompanied by his wife and two daughters.<\/p>\n
Some U.S. intelligence agents were seen guarding the airport
\nwhile police secured his route.<\/p>\n
The former president and his family were greeted by
\nIndonesia's deputy ambassador to the U.S., Samudro Sriwidjaja.<\/p>\n
Asked about his current status, Abdurrahman said that
\nconstitutionally he was still president although in reality he
\nhad been deposed.<\/p>\n
\"Constitutionally, I am still the president, but in reality I
\nam no longer president,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said he was not sorry about what had happened to him at
\nhome and accepted it as a logical consequence of his struggle to
\nuphold democracy in Indonesia. He said it was not easy to uphold
\ndemocracy.<\/p>\n
\"The struggle to uphold democracy will take time,\" he
\ncontinued.<\/p>\n
Asked about what to do to uphold democracy, he said that he
\nand several other people close to him were working on a plan.<\/p>\n
\"We will discuss it later with Pak Alwi (caretaker Minister of
\nForeign Affairs Alwi Shihab) and others,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that he would be in the U.S. for five days and there
\nwould be no plan to extend his trip or to change his schedule to
\ntake medical treatment.<\/p>\n
Talking with foreign and Indonesian reporters at the airport,
\nGus Dur looked relaxed and laughed several times before answering
\nquestions.<\/p>\n
His wife, who was wearing a pink Muslim outfit, also looked
\nrelaxed with a smiling face.<\/p>\n
Clad in a brown long-sleeved batik shirt, Abdurrahman, who is
\nnearly blind, was in a wheelchair pushed by one of his two
\nadjutants.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman and his family were later driven by Indonesian
\nembassy staff to Baltimore. He is scheduled to undergo a medical
\ncheckup at John Hopkins Hospital.<\/p>\n
In June 2000, when Gus Dur was still president, he visited the
\nhospital for an eye examination.<\/p>\n
He lost his job on Monday through an impeachment process by
\nthe People's Consultative Assembly, which found him guilty of
\ncorruption, incompetence and of violating the Constitution. He
\nwas replaced by former vice president Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Insisting that the impeachment process was illegal, Gus Dur
\nresisted from giving up his post and from leaving the
\nPresidential Palace. He relented on Thursday as mounting pressure
\napparently affected his health, with doctors warning of a third
\nand possibly fatal stroke.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-dur-to-keep-on-fighting-for-democracy-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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