Four prominent leaders unite to pressure Habibie govt
Four prominent leaders unite to pressure Habibie govt
JAKARTA (JP): Students finally succeeded in bringing
Indonesia's four top political leaders together to issue a united
stance on President B.J. Habibie's administration and the Armed
Forces' role in politics.
Abdurrahman Wahid of Nahdlatul Ulama, Amien Rais, a noted
reform movement leader who now chairs the National Mandate Party
(PAN), Megawati Soekarnoputri, who leads a popular faction of the
splintered Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), and Yogyakarta
monarch Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X agreed at a meeting held at
Abdurrahman's residence that Habibie's term in office should end
three months after the general election -- scheduled for next
May.
"By the end of next year, Habibie should no longer be the
president," said Amien, reading out the results of the 30-minute
meeting which students had strived to organize since Friday.
The leaders supported growing public calls for the Armed
Forces' sociopolitical role to end "within six years."
Abdurrahman said it would not be possible to bring the era of
military involvement in politics to a close overnight.
"Nahdlatul Ulama respects the Armed Forces (ABRI) dual
function, but the role is now an anachronism," he said.
Ill health prevented Nobel laureate and Dili Bishop Carlos
Felipe Ximenes Belo from attending. However, he sent a letter
stating that he supported the establishment of "a transitional
government; a fair, honest and democratic election; and the
reduction of the Armed Forces' dual role in all areas, especially
in the House of Representatives."
The "national dialog" was a much-anticipated affair, given the
high profile and political clout of the participants. Hundreds of
students camped outside the residence to make sure that it took
place.
Three student leaders -- Sarbini from the Communication Forum
of Jakarta Student Bodies, Widi Aswindi from Bandung Institute of
Technology and Nugraha from Siliwangi University -- attended the
closed session.
A number of public figures were barred from the meeting. Among
those were Kemal Idris and Ali Sadikin from the National Front
opposition group, businessmen Setiawan Djodi and Arifin Panigoro,
politicians Matori Abdul Djalil and Laksamana Sukardi, scholar
A.S. Hikam and Rachmat Witoelar from the Movement for Indonesian
Justice and Unity.
The meeting issued a five-point declaration and eight calls to
the government.
The declaration stated that Indonesians should love and fight
for their country, be ready to give their best and to ask
forgiveness for any wrongdoing committed.
The four leaders called for national unity consistent and
demanded the return of the people's sovereignty by maximizing the
role and function of elected representatives.
The leaders said if the campaign to achieve a just and
prosperous society was to succeed, steps toward decentralization
of power, a more just distribution of resources between regions
and greater democracy must first be brought about.
They called for a fair and just general election monitored by
an independent team to be held next year.
They said the fight against corruption, collusion and nepotism
must be intensified, with Amien at this point adding that the
drive should begin with an investigation into the wealth of
former president Soeharto, his family and his cronies.
They called on groups of vigilantes recruited to "secure" the
Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly to go home
without causing any more trouble.
The students said the campaign to bring the four leaders
together stemmed from their worries over the rising tension that
has marked the run-up to the Special Session of the Assembly.
(01/ylt)