Communism protected by Constitution: Gus Dur

Communism protected by Constitution: Gus Dur

HAVANA, Cuba (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid reiterated on
Tuesday his call for the lifting of the ban on communism in
Indonesia, saying the ideology "is protected" by the 1945
Constitution.

"Communism is protected by our Constitution, so because of
this stance they (the protesters) are agitated, they feel it is
wrong. But my job is to defend the Constitution," Abdurrahman
told a media briefing in English at Cancun Airport, Mexico, prior
to his departure for Havana on Tuesday afternoon.

Abdurrahman, affectionately known as Gus Dur, accompanied by
foreign minister Alwi Shihab, wore a traditional Mexican shirt
during the briefing.

The President, who is in Havana to participate in the first
ever Summit of the Group of 77 from April 12 through April 14,
has repeatedly campaigned for the revocation of the three-decade-
long ban on communism.

It has been met with a wave of criticism and opposition, not
only from Muslim hard-liners. Anticommunist rallies have hit
Jakarta in the last three weeks.

"The reaction to my announcement is quite normal because they
do not understand communism ... but they are free to demonstrate
because that is guaranteed by the Constitution as well,"
Abdurrahman said.

"So, it is up to the MPR (People's Consultative Assembly) to
take action on whether to follow my advice or theirs (the
protesters)," he added.

Alwi, Abdurrahman's close confidant, said earlier that the
President's appeal for the revocation of communism ban was based
on the spirit of reconciliation as too many innocent people had
been killed in the communist purge in the mid-1960s.

Commenting on his meeting with Mexican President Ernesto
Zedillo and a number of Mexican businessmen earlier in the day,
Abdurrahman said: "We should learn how the Mexicans approach the
problem in a rational way, and then how they use their resources
to the full for their national interest, but without damaging
their international relationship."

Abdurrahman said Mexico had been able to reach the point
"where now it becomes a producing country for the United States
and European countries."

"This is done without really damaging the role Mexico has in
preserving its relationship with many other countries, especially
developing ones," he added.

The President was greeted with a red carpet welcome upon his
arrival at Jose Marti Airport in Havana after a 50-minute flight
from Cancun.

Meanwhile, the meeting between Abdurrahman and Cuban President
Fidel Castro, which was originally scheduled to be held at the
Palacio de Presidente on Tuesday evening, was canceled, head of
the protocol bureau Wahyu Muryadi said.

There was no official statement explaining the cancellation
and whether officials from both countries were going to arrange a
new meeting.

Back on home soil, the West Sumatra provincial legislature
held a plenary session in Padang on Wednesday to declare its
opposition to Abdurrahman's call on communism.

All the 13 factions in the legislature, including that
representing the National Awakening Party (PKB), which was
founded by Abdurrahman, unanimously rejected any plan to revoke
the decree on communism ban.

"I don't want to be intimidated. The decision to oppose the
President's proposal is our faction's official stance and my
opinion too," head of the PKB faction Nazar Siddin said.

Also attending the plenary session was Deputy Governor Fachri
Achmad and leaders of legislative councils in regencies across
the province.

In Bandung, some 200 students of the Sunan Gunung Jati state
Islamic Institute rallied at the provincial legislature to
protest Abdurrahman's tendency of issuing controversial
statements, including the one on communism.

"There is no statement from him that does not spark anxiety in
society," the students said in their statement read by their
executive board president, Asep A. Sahid Gatara.

The students called on Abdurrahman and Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri to focus on poverty alleviation instead, for
example by revoking a decision to increase the allowance of state
officials.

Speaker of the provincial legislature Idin Rafioedin, who
received the students, replied: "We will channel your aspiration
to the President. But it depends on him, whether he is willing to
heed it." (25/28/byg)