Amien a real disappointment

Amien a real disappointment

Amien Rais' refusal to engage in a constructive dialogue with
President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri and House of Representatives Speaker Akbar Tandjung
in order to search for a solution to the nation's problems ("Gus
Dur hopes to meet critics ... ," The Jakarta Post, April 7,
2001), is extremely disappointing and revealing at the same time.
To me it seems to be the final proof that he and his political
companions from the central axis, like Hamzah Haz and Yusril Ihza
Mahendra, right from the start have followed a strategy of
furthering their own narrow-minded political interests rather
than the nation's well-being.

After having suffered a thrashing defeat during the 1999
general election, they chose to push for Gus Dur to become
president, hoping that -- because of his blindness and health
problems -- he would be weak enough to allow them to pursue their
selfish political goals.

Realizing that Gus Dur persistently maintains a very
independent political position, not willing to make any
concessions to those who would like to see the country move away
from a secular, inclusive and democracy-based political system,
they are now undertaking all efforts to topple the country's
first democratically elected president. In doing so, they do not
even shy away from taking the nation to the brink of a
catastrophe.

I wonder whether the three above-mentioned party leaders have
ever bothered to ask the majority of Indonesians what they think
about their dangerous political course, which will definitely
lead to more conflicts, a further decline of the rupiah and
economic instability, which means that the poor will get even
poorer.

As I have the chance to talk to ordinary people every day, I
can surely say they disapprove of the maneuvers of Amien Rais and
his political companions. These selfish politicians who display
their arrogance by ignoring the people's aspirations will
certainly be taken to account during the next general election.

MRS. HILDE MAY

Jakarta