Gus Dur calls for patience

Gus Dur calls for patience

PASURUAN, East Java (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid told
members of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and his supporters here on
Friday to stop their destructive acts, exercise restraint and try
to understand the process of democracy.

Speaking after noon prayers at Al-Anwar Grand Mosque in
Pasuruan, some 60 kilometers east of Surabaya, the President told
the 10,000 people in the congregation, mostly NU members, that NU
members were enraged. "It's just due to the memorandum (from the
House of Representatives/DPR). We all should be patient as taught
in the holy Koran."

The President's entourage included, among others, Military
Commander Adm. Widodo AS.

He was referring to a House memorandum of censure that was
issued following the House's conclusion that he was involved in
the Bulog and Brunei financial scandals.

Many had urged the President to travel to East Java to calm
his supporters following the destruction of Golkar offices in
Surabaya and other towns in the province.

East Java is a NU stronghold. Abdurrahman also chaired the
largest Muslim organization for 15 years before being elected
President.

Mujib Imron, chairman of the NU chapter in Pasuruan, told the
President that NU members had tried to restrain themselves and to
maintain order in the province.

"But things depend on those who made the memorandum. Yet they
plan to hasten the People's Consultative Assembly's (MPR) special
session (to impeach Abdurrahman). You have told us (to be
patient). But if they (the House members) make a new problem, and
then Amien Rais and Akbar Tandjung. Who will be responsible, not
you," Mujib said, referring to speakers of MPR and DPR
respectively.

In an emotional tone, Mujib also asked the President to have
the Golkar Party disbanded for the transgressions it committed in
its 32 years in power.

Responding to the request, the President said that disbanding
Golkar was not as easy as people thought. "Let's wait for the
next election. I will disclose all the sins Golkar really
committed. People will see its evil.

"It would be better for NU members now to restrain themselves
and be more patient than to think about disbanding Golkar. I
believe that my visit to Pasuruan is the most appropriate step to
diminish the people's anger."

The President said in Jakarta on Thursday that his visit would
only calm down NU members for one or two days.

Separately, National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro told
reporters in Jakarta on Friday that eight people suspected of
vandalism in Surabaya had been arrested. He declined to identify
the suspects, or the group to which they belong.

He said that East Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Sutanto would
not be replaced despite the fact that a legislator in House
Commission I for political affairs wanted Sutanto to be replaced
due to his failure to prevent the recent mayhem in the province.

10 arrests

During the dialog, the President unexpectedly revealed that 10
prominent people would be apprehended within three weeks.

"They are all leaders," he said without going into detail. He
assured the people, however, that Attorney General Marzuki
Darusman had confirmed the plan (to arrest the 10) as part of
legal efforts to uphold the reform movement.

The President also expressed pleasure at installing Baharuddin
Lopa as minister of justice and human rights to replace Yusril
Ihza Mahendra,

He said he saluted Lopa, who he called intrepid.

"This man is fearless. He deserves to be an NU member," he
said jokingly, which was applauded by the audience.

The President then proceeded to the East Java capital of
Surabaya to talk with some 100 ulemas and public figures about
the recent chaos in the province.

He told the audience packing the Grahadi gubernatorial hall
that, based on military reports, certain groups in several towns
had plotted the destruction of Golkar, National Mandate Party
(PAN) and Muhammadiyah office buildings in East Java.

The President did not specify the groups clearly, but hinted
that the groups were involved in the July 27, 1996 violence in
Jakarta when the government and military-backed groups forcefully
took over the office of the then Indonesian Democratic Party
(PDI) led by Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Meanwhile, chairman of the East Java Muhammadiyah, Fasichul
Lisan, who was also invited to the discussion, expressed
disillusionment that not all attacks on properties by the
President's supporters were justified.

"It was a one-sided meeting. There had been a plan to give
chances to certain people to speak up. I wanted to disclose
things about the Muhammadiyah office's destruction, but I was not
given the chance to speak."

In Yogyakarta the National Committee for Muhammadiyah Younger
Generation condemned on Friday the violent actions of the
President's supporters toward Muhammadiyah's property.

Paryanto Rohma, the committee coordinator, said the committee
was impatient to see Muhammadiyah made a scapegoat of the current
political uproar.

"If the actions were just because of Amien Rais' criticism of
Gus Dur, they (the attackers) should know that Amien's move had
nothing to do with Muhammadiyah." (nur/23/ylt/sur)