Police, TNI may not back me: Gus Dur<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid conceded on Sunday
\nthat while he was resolute in his warning to declare a state of
\nemergency, the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police may
\nnot support his move.<\/p>\n
\"Forcing the issuance of a state of emergency needs the
\nbacking of the state apparatus and it is still a question for me
\nwhether the TNI and police will implement such a decree,\"
\nAbdurrahman said.<\/p>\n
Speaking in front of students during a dialog to evaluate the
\nreform movement, organized by the University of Indonesia Alumni
\nAssociation (Iluni-UI), Abdurrahman underlined that in such a
\nsituation other alternatives may be more effective.<\/p>\n
\"I can issue a state of emergency, I have the power to do it
\nbut would it be a wise decision? It may be better if we just
\nsuspended the House of Representatives so we don't have to
\ndissolve them,\" Abdurrahman remarked.<\/p>\n
His comments came after students who attended the event
\ndemanded during the dialog on Sunday that the President dissolve
\nthe House and the Golkar Party, the former ruling party of the
\nNew Order regime.<\/p>\n
\"I keep saying and everyone should remember that I will issue
\nsuch a decree if, and only if, we cannot reach any compromise,\"
\nthe President pointed out.<\/p>\n
\"If we can achieve a political compromise then we will start
\nall over again from that compromise,\" he asserted.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman has repeatedly warned he will declare a state of
\nemergency in response to the People's Consultative Assembly's
\nplan to hold a special session on Aug. 1 to seek his
\naccountability.<\/p>\n
If his accountability is rejected Abdurrahman could be ousted
\nfrom the presidency and replaced by Vice President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman's repeated threats of imposing a state of
\nemergency or dissolving the legislature have lingered for several
\nmonths and top aides have also repeatedly stated their rejection
\nof the idea.<\/p>\n
In his latest threat Abdurrahman said a state of civil
\nemergency would be imposed at 6 p.m. on July 20 if no political
\ncompromise was reached.<\/p>\n
In such a situation the role of the police as one of the
\nprimary executors of the emergency status would be pivotal.<\/p>\n
The National Police leadership itself is currently in
\ndisarray.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman dismissed National Police chief Gen. Surojo
\nBimantoro and appointed Insp. Gen. Chaeruddin Ismail as his
\ndeputy police chief to carry out the day-to-day functions of the
\npolice chief.<\/p>\n
Bimantoro however has not handed over his command.<\/p>\n
The President recently ordered the arrest of Bimantoro, but
\nthe order was rejected by his top political security minister
\nAgum Gumelar.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman insisted on Sunday that \"like it or not Bimantoro
\nhas violated regulations by rejecting the order (to hand over his
\ncommand.\"<\/p>\n
\"I cannot arrest him just like that because of the possibility
\nof causing a split in the police force, so I asked that stern
\nlegal action be taken against him,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, Minister of Defense Mahfud MD said on Sunday that
\nafter the Assembly special session the TNI and police should
\nadhere to their role as faithful executors of executive
\ninstructions.<\/p>\n
\"After the special session, the House and the people should
\nforce the TNI and police to return to their role as a state
\napparatus that follows the orders of the executive,\" Mahfud said
\nduring a press conference at his official residence.<\/p>\n
Mahfud, who is due to take over the post of Attorney General,
\nexpressed his support for stern legal action to be taken against
\nBimantoro.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, from Surabaya Nadhatul Ulama (NU) youth-wing Ansor
\nChairman Saifullah Yusuf said that his organization may support
\nthe imposing of a state of emergency if political compromise
\ncould not be achieved ahead of the Assembly special session.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman led NU for 15 years before he was elected
\npresident in 1999.<\/p>\n
\"I don't think the President will issue such a decree at
\npresent, because it would be an unwise decision. However, should
\nthe compromise fail it (decree) has to be implemented. We may
\nsupport it,\" Saifullah said.<\/p>\n
However he remarked optimistically that there was still time
\nand the possibility for compromise was open. (dja\/nur)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-tni-may-not-back-me-gus-dur-1447893297",
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