Calls for MPR to do its duty color end of session

Calls for MPR to do its duty color end of session

JAKARTA (JP): Demands, criticism and appeals defined the
countdown to the end of the Special Session of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) on Friday as the toll from violence
in street rallies increased.

A statement signed by leaders of a number of parties and non-
governmental organizations said that if the session failed to
issue a decree to put Soeharto on trial for 32 years of abusing
his presidential power, "it would increasingly prove the Special
Session is false".

Despite opposition from some factions, Soeharto's name was
included on a final Assembly ruling on stamping out corruption,
collusion and nepotism.

Signatories to the statement included Munir of the Committee
for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Faisal
Basri of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Bambang Widjojanto of
the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation and former abducted activists
Andi Arief of The Students' Solidarity for Democracy in Indonesia
and Faisol Riza of the People's Democratic Party.

"Political stupidity" was behind the trend to cloud the issue
of Soeharto's accountability with legal technicalities.

In an interview with RCTI television Friday, PAN chairman
Amien Rais said MPR members had "better think fast" in the
ensuing hours to produce beneficial results and avoid further
bloodshed.

Several students and at least one police officer have died in
clashes in recent days.

Seventeen individuals, including retired generals Kemal Idris
and Ali Sadikin of the National Front, noted paranormal Permadi
and the head of the University of Indonesia alumni association
Hariadi Darmawan, stated in a communique dated Nov. 12 that the
session should be stopped.

"The people no longer recognize the House of Representatives
and the Assembly," the statement said. It advocated that a
presidium of national figures, including students, should be
formed. Its tasks would include the investigation of all abuses
of power allegedly committed by Soeharto and present president
B.J. Habibie.

The Crescent Star Party, chaired by noted law professor Yusril
Ihza Mahendra, blamed the Assembly members' "ambiguous attitude"
for partly causing the clashes between pro-reform students and
security authorities, including government-enlisted vigilantes.

"Certain factions" wavered "between fighting for true reform
and maintaining the status quo reeking of the New Order", the
party said in a statement. It warned of disaster if the session
failed to make "decisions that side with the people".

With all the session's shortcomings, Crescent Star said it
still had a legitimate position to issue basic policies to settle
various problems.

Similar to Kontras, the party also demanded an end to the
sociopolitical role of the Armed Forces. It described it as
"leading to various excesses and damage" in all areas of society.

There was no such assent from 12 parties -- including the
Indonesian Democratic Union Party chaired by former jailed
government critic Sri Bintang Pamungkas -- which reiterated their
rejection of the session.

A statement from the parties, also including the Murba,
Indonesian Workers Party and the New Masyumi Party, demanded the
immediate establishment of a transitional government to restore
the economy.

They also demanded that the immediate agenda for "total
reform" include the respect for human rights.

A release from a recognized group of students criticized
"efforts to ignore" making Soeharto accountable for killings and
other human rights violations in various areas across the
country. The group said it was the public's right to know because
it footed the bill for the Rp 20 billion session.

Arief Budiman, a sociologist teaching in Australia who was an
outspoken critic of Soeharto, suggested during a visit here on
Friday that compromise may be the best means to overcome
widespread dissatisfaction of the session.

If the advocated triumvirate with the sole task of preparing
the general election could not be set up, "B.J. Habibie could
remain president but we should have a new Cabinet." He believed
the present Cabinet was illegitimate, inclusive of the Assembly
which was a result of previous elections containing rampant
violations.

The Crescent Party and the Free Nation Party also voiced
support for the Ciganjur declaration drawn up by Abdurrahman
Wahid, Megawati Soekarnoputri, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X and Amien
Rais. Issued on Tuesday, the declaration urged that a new
president and vice president should be elected at the latest
three months after the general election next May.

The Free Nation party's statement also said it hoped the
Assembly session could "make a breakthrough with products which
meet the spirit of reform".

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Textile, Garment and Leather Workers
Union also lauded student efforts which led to the Ciganjur
declaration. The union said Assembly participants should pay
attention to the students' deeds.

Criticizing Assembly members who have argued Soeharto is freed
of culpability in any past wrongdoings because he is now a
private citizen, the union said he was "a president (who) for the
last 32 years had brought misery to a population reaching 200
million".

It urged the ruling Golkar political grouping to make the best
of the session to apologize to all Indonesians "for its sins in
upholding Soeharto's power which brought suffering to the
people". (anr)