Golkar to file lawsuits against government, police

Golkar to file lawsuits against government, police

JAKARTA (JP): In response to the torching of several Golkar
offices in East Java by supporters of President Abdurrahman "Gus
Dur" Wahid, Golkar Party chairman Akbar Tandjung said on
Wednesday the party would file lawsuits against the government,
the police and those responsible for the attacks.

Akbar said at the House of Representative the police and
government had failed to prevent the attacks.

He said the waves of anti-Golkar demonstrations were
engineered to shift public attention away from the House's
memorandum of censure against the President for his alleged role
in the Bulog and Brunei financial scandals.

In fierce demonstrations on Wednesday, Gus Dur supporters
torched and vandalized Golkar offices in Surabaya, Mojokerto and
Malang.

Akbar said Golkar was a legal political party. "They (the
demonstrators) should bear in mind that Golkar's presence is
valid, and it secured the second most number of votes (after the
Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle) in the 1999 general
election."

"What is wrong with Golkar? If the demonstrators, who claim to
be Gus Dur supporters, object to the party's presence they should
not destroy the party's property and belongings. Just file a
lawsuit with the courts."

Akbar said everyone, particularly Gus Dur's supporters, should
accept that there are differences of opinion in a democracy, and
should not forget that Golkar supported Gus Dur's presidential
candidacy during the General Session of the People's Consultative
Assembly.

Meanwhile, Minister of Defense Mahfud MD said the government
would ask the leaders of all social organizations to control
their members and persuade them to maintain peace and order.

"I will ask Nahdlatul Ulama chairman Hasyim Muzadi to travel
across the province, calm the people and stop the anarchic
actions," Mahfud said on the sidelines of a hearing with House
Commission I for security and defense.

He said Gus Dur's supporters should accept the House's
memorandum of censure, while critics of Abdurrahman should
understand that fast-tracking a special session of the Assembly
to impeach the President was unconstitutional.

Separately, Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab said the
people should avoid violence during the democratization process
in the country, because the international community was watching
events in Indonesia.

"If people attempt to take actions that are anarchic or
unconstitutional, that would be a bad precedent for all of us.
The international community watches how we act."

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Military (TNI) chief of territorial
affairs, Lt. Gen. Agus Widjojo, said in Jakarta on Wednesday TNI
would assist the police in maintaining law and order across the
nation.

"The military will back up the police if the situation
deteriorates. The military is always ready to help the police
maintain peace and order in any situation," Agus said during a
press briefing at TNI Headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta.

Muhammadiyah

Meanwhile, in an effort "to clarify" the relationship between
Gus Dur's supporters and Muhammadiyah, the second-largest Muslim
organization in the country, the group's chairman, Syafii Maarif,
said here on Wednesday that Muhammadiyah had never demanded Gus
Dur resign.

Speaking at Bina Graha presidential office, Syafii said he
once reproached Najamuddin, one of the leaders of the group's
youth wing, for urging the President to quit during a media
conference.

"Only a very few members of Muhammadiyah have demanded that
Gus Dur quit," Syafii said.

Gus Dur's supporters apparently are ready to take up arms
against Muhammadiyah, which they view as one of the President's
"enemies".

He declined to comment on Amien Rais' frequent statements
attacking Abdurrahman.

Amien led Muhammadiyah before chairing the National Mandate
Party (PAN) and being elected speaker of the People's
Consultative Assembly.

Despite the fact that Amien's grip on Muhammadiyah is not as
strong as in the past, people continue to link his political
moves with Muhammadiyah. (team)