Gus Dur and MPR set for showdown

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid and the People's Consultative Assembly are set to stare each other down in a Friday evening showdown with each side adamant that they will not be the first to blink under the threat of a state of emergency.

Most of the 700 members of the Assembly are already in the capital and have been instructed to gather at the Assembly compound on Friday afternoon.

They will immediately convene a plenary session should the President make good on his threat of declaring a state of civil emergency.

Legislators on Thursday were in no mood to entertain any suggestions of a civil emergency, warning that should a plenary session be convened it would certainly result in the hastening of the special session currently slated for Aug. 1, thereby sealing the President's fate.

Abdurrahman himself choose to go to his political stronghold of East Java on Thursday to launch another barrage of threats, saying that the state of emergency would empower him to dissolve the House of Representatives and the Assembly, and to call a snap general election.

Speaking to ulemas at the Lirboyo Islamic boarding school, Kediri, the President pointed out that only a guarantee that impeachment moves would cease could stop a state of emergency from being declared.

"If there is no political compromise reached by 6 p.m. tomorrow (Friday) evening, I will declare that the country has been placed under a state of emergency," said Abdurrahman in front of his enthusiastic supporters.

But Abdurrahman still left himself some room to maneuver, stating that while the state of emergency could be announced on Friday, it would not come into effect until July 31, one day before the scheduled opening of the Assembly's special session.

"If there is a political compromise before July 31, then the state of emergency will not be activated. Hopefully, there will be a political compromise," he remarked.

Outlining his demands, the President said the Assembly must issue a written statement saying that the special session would not call him to account.

"What can be discussed at the special session must be confined to inputs regarding the government's performance in the future. I will not submit an accountability report," Abdurrahman remarked.

In a warning to his Vice President, his most likely successor should he be removed from office, the President said that Megawati Soekarnoputri's fate would likely be no better than his own.

Abdurrahman again asserted that if the Assembly decided to oust him from office, the Vice President should also resign.

Tragedy

Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security Affairs Gen. (ret) Agum Gumelar, who in the past has stridently opposed a declaration of a state of emergency, seemed to be more subdued on Thursday.

He said he "hoped" it would not become a reality.

"But whatever happens, we hope it will not be detrimental to the well-being of society. That is my hope," said Agum, who was accompanying the President to East Java.

Separately, Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) Secretary-General Soetjipto said the issuance of an emergency declaration would be "a tragedy for our democracy", while describing such a move as something only an authoritarian powerholder would consider.

House Speaker Akbar Tandjung stressed that there was no reason for the President to opt for such a drastic measure as it would only further poison the political climate.

"It is only his (Abdurrrahman's) maneuver before the special session," scoffed Akbar, who is also Golkar Party chairman.

Security has been tightened throughout the capital and elsewhere.

In Bandung, West Java Police chief Brig. Gen. Sudirman Ail said that at least 16,500 personnel, including troops, had been deployed to provide security in the province starting Thursday and would remain deployed for seven days after the special session.

In Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, the Muhammadiyah Muslim organization began making contingency plans and deployed its members to guard its offices. The organization has often been the target of enraged Abdurrahman supporters.

"We are also asking other Muhammadiyah branches to do the same thing," Muhammadiyah activist Fachrurazi said.

Rallies in support of and against the President were also held in several places.

In Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, hundreds of the President's supporters took to the streets urging the President to "go ahead with the emergency plan", while students in Purwokerto, Central Java, held a rally demanding Abdurrahman's resignation along with those of Megawati, Akbar and Assembly Speaker Amien Rais. (team)