Tapping case reveals rifts in political elite: Amien<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The case of the tapping of the purported
\ntelephone conversation between President B.J. Habibie and
\nAttorney General A.M. Ghalib indicated differences among the
\npolitical elite clinging to the status quo, a leading politician
\nhas said.<\/p>\n
If there was any good to come out of this \"embarrassing\" case,
\nAmien Rais, chairman of the National Mandate Party (PAN), said in
\nBandung on Sunday, it was the revelation of these rifts, which
\nhas enforced awareness that \"the struggle to uphold truth and
\njustice is extremely heavy.\"<\/p>\n
Amien said there were three scenarios which were being acted
\nout by the different factions among the political elite.<\/p>\n
One was buying time to delay the probe into former president
\nSoeharto's wealth by creating issues to divert people's
\nattention.<\/p>\n
\"Hence the bloody clashes at the Semanggi cloverleaf,
\nKetapang, Kupang and Ambon,\" he said of recent riots.<\/p>\n
Another way was through the expressed wishes of some groups to
\ndelay elections.<\/p>\n
\"But luckily Habibie's government has fully realized that it
\nneeds the election to gain legitimacy, and to recover the trust
\nof the international community.\"<\/p>\n
The last part of the design, Amien suggested, was the
\nexistence of designs for a military takeover.<\/p>\n
\"With continued riots there would be reason for the military
\nto take over,\" Amien said, reiterating suspicions from other
\npoliticians and observers. \"But thankfully the people seem to be
\nable to make this an unlikely outcome. This must be guarded
\nagainst,\" Amien said.<\/p>\n
Separately political lecturer Cornelis Lay of Gajah Mada
\nUniversity noted that ongoing riots in Ambon have been triggered
\nby ethnic and religious disputes rather than political conflict.<\/p>\n
\"If we want to settle the fray we have to admit that there is
\na conflict between Muslims and Christians, between the Ambonese
\nand the Bugis-Makasar people,\" Cornelis said.<\/p>\n
\"The indication is clear,\" he said, citing the fact that
\nChristians there have their own market as do the Muslims.<\/p>\n
Once such problems are acknowledged, he said, attempts at
\nmaking peace might be better effected.<\/p>\n
\"The problem can no longer be disguised with jargon such as
\nprovocateurs, social-economic gap ... it has to be seen through a
\nnew perspective,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Cornelis also expressed his support for the Irianese demand
\nfor greater autonomy in their province. Some have even demanded
\nseparation from the country.<\/p>\n
\"Irian Jaya deserves to receive special treatment or wide-
\nrange autonomy considering that the province has contributed 20
\npercent to 30 percent of its natural resources to Indonesia,\" he
\nnoted. Cornelius urged Habibie to give a positive response to the
\ndemand. (edt\/43\/44)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tapping-case-reveals-rifts-in-political-elite-amien-1447893297",
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