Compromise fading, leaders talk tough

Compromise fading, leaders talk tough

JAKARTA (JP): Hopes for a compromise to ease the ongoing
political impasse began to wear down on Tuesday, as political
leaders hardened their tone and altered their focus toward
impeachment.

Key figures such as President Abdurrahman Wahid, Vice
President Megawati and House of Representatives speaker Akbar
Tandjung displayed on Tuesday no hint that a deal was at hand.

Members of the team of seven ministers, tasked with
negotiating a compromise, kept a low profile on Tuesday with one
minister even conceding a split between Abdurrahman and Megawati.

Abdurrahman, who had been adamant that he would not resign
from the presidency, openly discussed, for the first time, the
prospect of impeachment.

The President charged that he would run for reelection as
president in 2004 if he was removed in a special session of the
People's Consultative Assembly.

"If, as a consequence, a special session to impeach the
President must be held, then let it go ahead, I'm not afraid of
that," Abdurrahman told an audience at the National Resilience
Institute at Bina Graha presidential office.

Forebodingly, Abdurrahman warned that he would promptly launch
a reelection offensive if he were to be "humiliated".

"If that happens, I will campaign immediately for reelection
at the next election because I will have been publicly
humiliated," he said without elaborating on his "reelection
campaign" tactics.

He further warned he was not "bluffing" when he said that
several provinces would proclaim independence if he was removed.

He added that the number of provinces threatening to break
away had risen from five to six.

"So, it's not that I don't want to resign," the President
said, adding that this must be taken into consideration.

It was unclear, however, what prompted Abdurrahman to issue
such a statement.

Meanwhile, Megawati, during a rally in Pekanbaru, Riau,
attended by thousands of Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
(PDI Perjuangan), led a chorus which clearly spelt out the
party's intentions.

She rallied the crowd with three simple questions:

"Do you want an expedited election?" Megawati asked the crowd.

"No," the sea of red supporters replied.

"Do you, in accordance with the results of the PDI Perjuangan
congress in Bali, want Megawati Soekarnoputri to become president
through constitutional means?"

"Yes!"

Megawati flashed a big smile.

Finally, asking them whether a PDI Perjuangan cadre would
resort to violence? The crowd responded "no".

Split

Abdurrahman has till the end of the month to respond to a
memorandum of censure issued by the House after which a special
session of the Assembly can be called to seek his accountability.

A small team of Cabinet ministers, under the stewardship of
Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono have been trying to formulate a deal
which would enable a greater delegation of executive power to the
Vice President and secure Abdurrahman's role as head of state.

It is unclear whether Tuesday's hardened statements may be a
harbinger on the fate of the compromise or merely political
actors posturing in order to raise the negotiation stakes.

What was clear was that on his return from Thailand, on
Tuesday morning, not a single minister was present at the airport
to greet the President. Only the National Police chief, the
Indonesian Military chief and the head of the State Intelligence
Coordinating Board were present.

House speaker Akbar Tandjung, who in the past has taken a more
conservative line, changed his tone altogether on Tuesday saying
that if a special session was convened it would be to ask for an
assessment of the President's accountability, which, in all
likelihood, would be rejected.

"When it is rejected there is no other solution other than the
replacement of the national leader...The Vice President will
become the president," Akbar remarked.

"We all know that most of the Assembly members are House
members so the conclusion will be the same," he added.

All 500 House members are also members of the 700-seat
Assembly.

He still, however, left a small window of hope ajar, implying
that a political compromise may yet save the presidency.

The only other option would be resignation, Akbar remarked.

"Whatever it is, it must be decided before the House plenary
session at the end of this month," he said.

"The transfer of authority and a Cabinet reshuffle, under the
management of Ibu Megawati, would be a low-cost solution for the
country that we are trying to offer," he added.

Minister of Defense Mahfud MD, a member of the team of seven
ministers, also admitted that Abdurrahman and Megawati are no
longer united.

He added that the Cabinet dearly wished to see the pair united
again and working together: "We (ministers) admit the two leaders
are split, we're worried about polarization at the community
level." (dja/byg)