E. Timorese pray for Session's success

JAKARTA (JP): Tens of thousands of East Timorese of all religions have asked for divine help to ensure the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) is a success.

Antara reported that local priests and ministers leading mass services Saturday evening and yesterday morning urged congregations to say special prayers for the smooth running of the General Session.

"May the (members of the) People's Consultative Assembly be able to take the right decisions," one of the religious leaders, Bram Pongoh, said.

"May the divine light of love illuminate the minds of all religious devotees, including the East Timorese, so that the prevailing harmony and order can be maintained forever," he added.

The chairman of the local Indonesian Council of Ulemas chapter, Abdullah M. Sagran, shared the same hope. He said East Timorese Moslems would also pray for a safe and orderly General Session.

"We believe Allah will listen to and grant the prayers offered by local religious followers," Sagran said.

People of all faiths in many other provinces have offered similar special prayers. Moslems in many parts of Indonesia, including Jambi, Central and West Java, held special services for the purpose last week.

Besides offering prayers, many people are also pinning great hope on the ongoing General Session. The youth and women's wings of the 30-million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization, for instance, have called on the 1,000 members of MPR to use the Rp 44.7 billion (US$5 million) event as an opportunity to heed and absorb "people's suffering and demands".

The session should be used to elect a president and vice president who are capable of heeding people's aspirations, the youths said in a statement signed by, among others, M. Iqbal Assegaff, Musda Mulia, Safina Machrusah and Syaiful Bahri Anshori.

"This acute turmoil... is actually the consequence of the mismanagement of our country's macroeconomy and politics," the youths said in the statement. "The centralized and closed political system have made it difficult for people to exercise their rights to control and criticize the government.

"The economic system, which overemphasizes growth, has caused ample opportunity for monopolistic and oligopolistic practices (to develop)... while the majority do not have access to the economy," the youths said.

Sabam Sirait and Supardan, respectively the chairman and secretary-general of the National Board of Indonesian Christian Participation, expressed concern over Assembly members who were "insensitive toward the suffering of the ordinary people."

"We have not seen any serious efforts from the cabinet or other state institutions to overcome the ongoing crisis," the organization said in their statement signed by the two leaders.

"Therefore, we urge the People's Consultative Assembly to listen to people's aspirations," the statement continued. "We need more capable, creative and innovative leaders able to act as the father or mother of the nation."

In its statement, the Indonesian Council of Mosques called on Indonesians, particularly Moslems, to help create a favorable atmosphere for the people's representatives to carry out their duties.

Chairman Kafrawi Ridwan and acting secretary-general Oemar Ghiffary also called on the public to be on their guard against malicious rumors and not to be provoked.

Sularso Sopater and J.M. Pattiasina of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia also expressed concern over the crisis affecting Indonesia.

"We are deeply concerned with our national situation especially after we followed the recent controversy on the government policies on monetary reform and the economy and the nomination process of the president and vice president," the organization said in a statement.

"We hope the members of the MPR will learn a lesson from the history of our nation so they will not repeat the mistakes," the organization said. "We are calling on the MPR to take the correct decisions in the election of the president and vice president.

"We also hope they will draw up wise policies that will overcome the ongoing crisis because it (the crisis) could endanger the nation's unity and resilience," the statement said. (swe/prb)