Critics reproach Gus Dur for staying calm despite problem

Critics reproach Gus Dur for staying calm despite problem

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid became the target of
sharp criticism as critics here on Tuesday reproached his seeming
obliviousness to the nation's problems. Critics mocked him for
calmly sipping tea abroad while people at home were killing each
other in a bloody ethnic conflict.

Respected scholar Nurcholish Madjid on Tuesday did not mince
words when asked what he thought Abdurrahman should do: "Gus Dur
should return home!"

"The dignity (of a president) is not determined by the number
of foreign tours he engages in, but in the success in overcoming
and resolving problems at home," Nurcholish charged.

"Events in Sampit have become too big. He must recognize that
the conflict is part of his personal responsibility as
president...it is part of his personal problem and similarly Vice
President Megawati (Soekarnoputri) should feel the same way."

Ethnic violence in the small town of Sampit has spread to
other areas of Central Kalimantan. The death toll has risen to
over 300, with thousands of refugees clamoring to get out of the
province.

President Abdurrahman Wahid, who is on a two-week tour of
Middle East and African countries, is not expected back till
March 7.

In Abuja, Nigeria on Tuesday the President again reiterated
that after speaking to Coordinating Minister for Political,
Social and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta,
he has decided to continue his tour.

"I decided to leave the country because everything is running
in Indonesia," Abdurrahman remarked while revealing that Megawati
had also opposed his latest foreign tour.

People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais further
disparaged the President's seemingly careless attitude while
people were killing each other at home.

"I don't understand how the President could enjoy a cup of tea
overseas while his people in Central Kalimantan are killing one
another," he said.

Amien insisted that the President return home immediately
since he has a moral responsibility toward all things happening
at home.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Child Protection urged
Vice President Megawati as chief of the National Coordinating
Board for disasters and refugees to visit riot-torn Central
Kalimantan soon.

"Since President Abdurrhaman persists in completing his
foreign tour, Megawati must be proactive and visit Sampit and
Palangka Raya to obtain first-hand information about the
situation," commission director Arist Merdeka Sirait told The
Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

Censure

The riots in Central Kalimantan and Abdurrahman's insistence
on remaining overseas will likely further politically compromise
the President's standing following the House of Representative's
recent censure and memorandum against him.

Amien Rais even indicated that it will be the trigger for the
House to issue a second memorandum which could pave the way for
the convening of a special Assembly session to impeach the
President.

"In my observation members of the House from various factions,
and even faction chairmen, have agreed that the second memorandum
will be issued on May 1," said Amien who has been campaigning
avidly in recent weeks for an accelerated special Assembly
session.

He even likened the situation to a burning house: "If this
house of ours which is the republic is ablaze, do we have to wait
till it escalates before putting it out?"

The President himself insisted in Nigeria that "nobody can
bring me down because the Constitution stipulates that I will be
the president until 2004."

"There are suggestions that I am incapable of running the
country ... what matters to me is that people are still going to
the streets to support me when I visit the provinces."

Abdurrahman further bragged that Aceh, Riau and Irian Jaya
"would immediately declare independence" if he resigned and that
the situation would not necessarily improve since "the prospect
(of good leadership) from my possible successor is also
doubtful."

Meanwhile back in Jakarta the National Awakening Party (PKB)
described the violence as "a systematic effort to discredit
President Abdurrahman's administration and to provide reasons to
topple him prior to the end of the memorandum."

"The horizontal conflicts vividly reflect conflicts at the
elite level. The riots are engineered by invisible hands that are
aimed to create instability, leading the nation to blame Gus Dur
and oust him for his failure," PKB's Taufikurrachman Saleh said.
(02/byg/rms/edt)