Calls for Soeharto's resignation mount

JAKARTA (JP): People are getting bolder in their calls for President Soeharto to resign and allow the country to begin fresh efforts to shake off the economic crisis.

More intellectuals have sided with the student movement which has been spearheading demands for his resignation since February through almost daily demonstrations. Yesterday, Moslem scholars Nurcholish Madjid and Emha Ainun Nadjib called on President Soeharto to declare his readiness to resign in a peaceful and constitutional manner during a media conference.

The call was also voiced last week by new alliances of intellectuals and government critics called the Majelis Amanah Rakyat (Council of People's Mandate, MAR), and the Forum Kerja Indonesia (Indonesia Working Forum, FKI).

However, unlike the previous groups, Nurcholish and Emha proposed a series of steps that should be taken so that Soeharto can step down gracefully, without repercussions for the nation.

"Pak Harto should first speak before the people, ideally in an extraordinary session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), where he should confirm that he himself will lead a total correction of various deviations," Nurcholish said.

Soeharto must also apologize for the severe economic and monetary crisis and "end...political decisions that have caused collusion, corruption, cronyism, and nepotism", Nurcholish said.

The scholars also said Soeharto should rid the cabinet of ministers opposed to reform and replace them with pro-reform figures who enjoy the sympathy of the people.

In the address, Soeharto should also declare his readiness to resign, Nurcholish said, and "ask the people and the Armed Forces to restore the national economy and launch sweeping social and political reform to guide the nation into the third millennium."

Personal wealth

"In order to start all that, the President and his family (should) surrender their personal wealth to the state and the country," Nurcholish said.

The two scholars recommended that general elections be held by Jan. 10, 2000, and a presidential election by March 11 of the same year.

Among other organizations which have recently called for Soeharto's resignation are the Coordination of Moslem Communities, a grouping of influential Islamic organizations such as ICMI, KISDI and Forum Ukhuwah Islamiyah; a group of 1,300 lecturers and professors from Bandung Institute of Technology and Padjadjaran University; lecturers and students from University of Indonesia; and the Indonesian Christian Participation (Parkindo).

"If he understood what's really good for the nation, he would resign," said Achmad Tirtosudiro from ICMI (the Association of Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals)) at a tabligh akbar (grand prayer gathering) of 5,000 Moslems at Al-Azhar Grand Mosque on Saturday.

The event was also attended by leaders of KISDI (Indonesian Committee for World Moslem Solidarity). This signifies a convergence of these Islamic organizations because previously ICMI and KISDI often adopted a different stance on many issues.

In Bandung, 1,296 lecturers and professors said they no longer wanted Soeharto at the nation's helm. "We no longer trust the leadership of Supreme Commander (ret) Haj Muhammad Soeharto," they said in a statement, a copy of which was obtained by The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

"We urge President Soeharto to resign and return the mandate of the People's Consultative Assembly. We call on graduates of Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) who are in the cabinet to resign," they said.

ITB graduates in the cabinet include Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Coordinating Minister for Development Supervision and State Administrative Reforms Hartarto Sostrosoenarto, and Minister of Communications Giri Suseno.

The ITB faculty agreed to pass the statement to the government as the official stance of the institute, joining their colleagues from University of Indonesia who stated on Thursday that demands for reform could no longer be checked, so Soeharto should resign immediately.

Also yesterday, the Indonesian Students Association in the United States issued a statement calling on President Soeharto to return his mandate to the People's Consultative Assembly. (swe/rms)