Gus Dur turns his guns on TNI<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid warned the
\nIndonesian Military (TNI) and National Police on Sunday against
\nbecoming involved in the Special Session of the People's
\nConsultative Assembly.<\/p>\n
In a televised speech at the presidential palace, Abdurrahman
\nreiterated his stance that the Special Session was
\nunconstitutional, saying the TNI and the police should therefore
\nwithdraw their support for the session.<\/p>\n
"I told the TNI chief that the TNI and the police are obliged
\nto defend the Constitution ... and I asked them to withdraw their
\nsupport for the Special Session, and if they refuse to do so they
\ncan resign tonight," the President said, referring to the TNI and
\nNational Police faction in the Assembly.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman also called on security personnel to restrain from
\nviolence in handling protests and guarantee the safety of those
\nrallying in support of his presidency.<\/p>\n
His statement came as hundreds of troops from the Army, Navy
\nand Air Force remained on the alert with their heavy equipment
\nand armored vehicles. The troops are deployed at the National
\nMonument square, near the presidential palace.<\/p>\n
Gus Dur, as the President is known, also challenged his
\npolitical foes in the Assembly to a "battle of strength", as
\nefforts to settle their dispute came closer to a head.<\/p>\n
"Tomorrow I will be unseated by them (Assembly). That means
\nthey are asking for a battle of strength instead of looking for a
\npolitical compromise.<\/p>\n
"If they want to try each other's strength ... fine. Let's do
\nthat ... and we'll see who is going to come out the winner. I
\nwill be closely monitoring the battle of strength," he asserted.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman said he would hold another press meeting at 10
\np.m., but it did not materialize.<\/p>\n
The President and TNI chief Adm. Widodo Adisucipto held talks
\nfollowing Abdurrahman's warning. Coordinating Minister for
\nPolitical, Social and Security Affairs Agum Gumelar accompanied
\nWidodo during the meeting.<\/p>\n
The three met for the second time of the day at 11 p.m.<\/p>\n
"Please wait for the political process tomorrow. Whatever
\nhappens, I will save this nation," Agum told journalists as he
\nand Widodo left the meeting 10 minutes into midnight.<\/p>\n
Sources said that Agum and Widodo headed for the Ministry of
\nDefense office on Jl. Medan Merdeka Barat, where they met with
\nArmy, Navy and Airforce chiefs of staff.<\/p>\n
Prior to the meeting, Abdurrahman reportedly asked Ministry of
\nDefense secretary-general Lt. Gen. Johny Lumintang, and later on
\nTNI Intelligence chief Vice Air Marshal Ian Santoso
\nPerdanakusuma, to replace Widodo as the TNI chief.<\/p>\n
Both Johny and Ian reportedly rejected the offers.<\/p>\n
Hari Sabarno, the TNI faction chairman at the Assembly, also
\nrejected Abdurrahman's call for his faction to reject the Special
\nSession, which is scheduled to hear the President's account of
\nhis administration.<\/p>\n
"It is not the President's right to ask us to do that," Hari
\nsaid at the Assembly before attending an Assembly leadership
\nmeeting late on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of activists from non-governmental organizations
\ngathered at the presidential palace in a show of moral support
\nfor the embattled President.<\/p>\n
Activists Emmy Hafield and Nursyahbani Katjasungkana and
\nCatholic priest Sandyawan Sumardi were among those present.<\/p>\n
In an earlier media conference, Abdurrahman reiterated that he
\ncould not resign because he was obliged to carry out the reform
\nmandate and maintain the territorial integrity of the country.<\/p>\n
"It is not because of a personal ambition to remain in power,
\nbut because the current political process will be insufficient to
\ncomplete the reform mandate if the executors are the political
\nelite and not the public," he said.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman also underlined that the best way to end the
\ncurrent impasse was through a snap general election, so he could
\nreturn the mandate to the people.<\/p>\n
He again call the Special Session illegal, saying the Assembly
\nwas trying to unseat him for unclear reasons. He said the
\npresident could only be impeached for treason, and he had never
\ncommitted treason.<\/p>\n
On the eve of the political showdown, hundreds of Nahdlatul
\nUlama (NU) kyai (Muslim elders) issued a recommendation for their
\nfollowers to reject all efforts to topple the President.<\/p>\n
"Leaders that were elected democratically through a general
\nelection are legitimate and all efforts to topple the nation's
\nleader must be rejected," said the statement read by NU Kyai
\nMuchid Muzadi on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Some 800 NU kyai gathered at a Muslim boarding school in
\nTangerang, Banten, on Sunday. They claimed the Assembly Special
\nSession was illegal and unconstitutional.<\/p>\n
"The Special Session is a political coup against President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid conducted by the repressive and corrupt New
\nOrder regime, and has nothing to do with the nation's interests,"
\nMuchid said with tears in his eyes.<\/p>\n
The kyai also expressed their grief over the political
\ncompromise that failed to materialize, and charged that political
\nleaders had put their short-term interests ahead of the nation.
\n(06\/tso\/dja)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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