Gus Dur's power base calm despite second censure<\/p>\n
SURABAYA (JP): Surabaya and several other areas in President
\nAbdurrahman Wahid's political stronghold of East Java and base of
\nNahdlatul Ulama (NU), remained calm on Monday.<\/p>\n
In the province' capital, the majority of residents preferred
\nto stay home following on television the proceedings of the House
\nof Representatives' Plenary Session that issued the second
\nmemorandum to censure the President.<\/p>\n
Most shops and offices remained open, but traffic was quiet
\neven in areas normally congested during rush hours.<\/p>\n
However, the East Java Police were on level II alert and
\nreadied 3,700 troops comprising members from the Police, Army,
\nMarines and the Air Force, East Java Police chief Sr. Comr.
\nSuharto said.<\/p>\n
"Basically we want to safeguard the decision made by the House
\nand its possible impact here," Suharto added.<\/p>\n
The situation also remained peaceful in the Ketapang Port in
\nBanyuwangi regency as three companies of joint police and
\nmilitary units along with dozens of civilian guards from the
\nNahdlatul Ulama (NU)'s Pagar Nusa guarded the port compound.<\/p>\n
Three months ago, the port was occupied by the President's
\nsupporters, shortly after the issuance of the first censure. They
\nwere there for few days, paralyzing ferry services from East Java
\nto Bali island.<\/p>\n
Banyuwangi Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Anton Setiadi said on
\nMonday that a navy ship with 100 marines on board had docked near
\nthe port.<\/p>\n
A sharp drop in the number of passengers passing through the
\nport connecting East Java and Bali through the Bali straits was
\nevident on Monday. This scene was repeated in Gilimanuk on the
\nBali side.<\/p>\n
The Ketapang - Gilimanuk transportation office head, Taufik
\nHandriawan, said that Ketapang Port had experienced a 40 percent
\ndrop in passengers on Monday.<\/p>\n
"On a normal day there are some 1,400 vehicles crossing the
\nstraits but today less than 900 vehicles were recorded," Taufik
\nsaid, adding that 16 ferries were available at the port on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
Police had also secured the main electricity post, serving the
\nnetwork of Java and Bali, on Jl. Raden Wijaya in Banyuwangi.<\/p>\n
Offices of other Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah located
\nthroughout the province were also guarded by police personnel.<\/p>\n
Setiadi said that a total of 1,600 men in a joint military and
\npolice force had been deployed in Banyuwangi regency, known as
\none of the NU's strongholds.<\/p>\n
He said that as of 5 p.m. local time the situation in
\nBanyuwangi was calm and there were no reports of mass actions or
\nunrest.<\/p>\n
The officer also dismissed reports that unrest had broken out
\nin the East Java cities of Probolinggo, Situbondo and Pasuruan.<\/p>\n
"I have contacted my colleagues in those three towns and the
\nsituation there is reportedly calm," he said.<\/p>\n
East Java is home to millions of President Abdurrahman Wahid's
\ndie-hard followers. Abdurrahman once led the NU for 15
\nconsecutive years before he was elected the country's president
\nin an overwhelming vote by the People's Consultative Assembly
\n(MPR) in October, 1999.<\/p>\n
Many feared there would be a backlash once the House issued a
\nsecond memorandum of censure of Abdurrahman on Monday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Bali's Gilimanuk port was nearly deserted on Monday
\nas there were almost no passengers or vehicles passing through
\nthe usually busy and crowded port to cross the Bali Straits to
\nEast Java and vice versa, Antara said.<\/p>\n
Gilimanuk port, which connects Bali with East Java's Ketapang
\nPort was empty even though a total of 14 ferries were ready to
\ntransport passengers and vehicles.<\/p>\n
Passengers and port officials were seen closely monitoring
\nbroadcasts of the House plenary session convened to consider
\nissuing a second memorandum of censure against President Gus
\nDur.<\/p>\n
As of 2 p.m. local time, only one ship had departed Gilimanuk
\nfor Ketapang port whereas usually packed ferries depart every
\nhalf an hour.<\/p>\n
According to a port official, this was the first time that
\nport activities had nearly ground to a halt.<\/p>\n
Port officials, however, also said they were ready to
\ntransport security personnel just in case more troop deployments
\nwere needed to prevent unrest.<\/p>\n
Rumors circulating at the port, however, said that a mass
\naction would break out in the area around the port if the House
\nissued a second censure against the President.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Makassar, the capital city of South Sulawesi,
\naround 100 students from various universities, grouped under the
\nGrey Ribbon Consortium and the Urip Sumohardjo University
\nStudents Committee rallied outside the provincial council
\nbuilding on Monday.<\/p>\n
The students demanded Abdurrahman resign.<\/p>\n
They rejected the invitation of local councillors for a dialog
\nand instead held orations.<\/p>\n
"We don't want to dialog with the councillors, what is
\nimportant for us is what concrete steps the local council will
\nmake to oust Gus Dur," one student said.<\/p>\n
They dispersed peacefully after finishing their speeches and
\nreturned to their respective campuses. (27\/nur\/emf\/zen\/edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gus-durs-power-base-calm-despite-second-censure-1447893297",
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