National coalition called for to end crisis<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Abdurrahman Wahid, Megawati Soekarnoputri and
\nBishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo, in a unique gathering,
\nyesterday called on the government to form a coalition with
\nreform leaders to lead the nation out of the economic crisis.<\/p>\n
A joint statement issued at the end of the meeting stressed
\nthe need to quickly resolve the crisis and said that the
\ngovernment could not do this alone.<\/p>\n
\"We call on the leaders of Indonesia, both inside and outside
\nthe system, to together formulate an agenda for political, legal
\nand economic reform,\" said the statement which was read out by
\neconomist Hartojo Wingnjowijoto.<\/p>\n
The 90 minute meeting of the three influential figures was
\nheld at Abdurrahman's residence in Ciganjur, South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman is chairman of the 30 million strong Nahdlatul
\nUlama (NU) Moslem organization, Megawati is the ousted leader of
\nthe Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), and Belo is Bishop of Dili
\nand a renowned government critic.<\/p>\n
The three leaders suggested that all elements of society
\nshould be involved in drawing up the reform agenda so that it
\nwould represent a form of national consensus.<\/p>\n
\"A consensus would improve the people's confidence in the
\ncountry and the nation.<\/p>\n
\"Other countries would also respect Indonesia's determination
\nto prepare itself for the challenges of the 21st century,\" they
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Speaking about the government's efforts to settle the economic
\ncrisis, the three leaders said in their statement that the
\ngovernment had failed to free the people from the burden of the
\neconomic crisis.<\/p>\n
\"The people's trust and the international community's
\nconfidence in the state's capability to bring the nation out of
\nthe crisis is still low,\" the statement said.<\/p>\n
The meeting, which attracted both local and foreign
\njournalists, did not include outspoken government critic Amien
\nRais.<\/p>\n
The reason given for Amien's absence seemed to reveal, rather
\nthan hide, the fact that the Muhammadiyah leader was simply not
\ninvited.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman claimed that Amien was a very busy man and \"very
\ndifficult to contact\".<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman also balked at the suggestion that the gathering
\nsignified a formal political coalition between the trio. He
\nmaintained that the meeting was only part of a moral movement.<\/p>\n
In a separate development, a group of retired Armed Forces
\n(ABRI) generals of the 1945 and Post-1945 generations, members of
\nthree Golkar elements -- Kosgoro, SOKSI and MKGR -- and pro-
\nreform activists yesterday announced a plan to establish a
\nNational Front aimed at promoting the people's sovereignty and
\nsocial justice.<\/p>\n
A press statement signed by the former commander of the Army
\nStrategic Reserves (Kostrad) Lt. Gen. (ret) Achmad Kemal Idris, a
\ncopy of which was made available to Antara, said that the idea to
\nestablish the new organization was reached after a meeting
\nattended by 37 retired generals and representatives of the three
\nGolkar wings.<\/p>\n
\"The National Front is intended to help mitigate the impact of
\nthe prolonged economic crisis and ease misery and social unrest,
\nboth of which are dangerous to national unity,\" the statement
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Signatories to the statement also included former defense
\nminister Edi Sudradjat, former speaker of the House of
\nRepresentatives\/People's Consultative Assembly M. Kharis Suhud,
\nformer secretary of development supervision and operations
\nSolichin G.P. and former Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin.<\/p>\n
Golkar figures who signed the statement included Kosgoro
\nchairman Bambang W. Soeharto (no relation to the former president
\nof the same name), MKGR chairwoman Mien Sugandhi and Golkar young
\ngeneration figures Didiet Haryadi and Indra Bambang Utoyo. (imn)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/national-coalition-called-for-to-end-crisis-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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