Gus Dur supporters block Ketapang Port

SURABAYA (JP): More than 5,000 supporters of President Abdurrahman Wahid, armed with sickles, machetes and bamboo spears, blocked Ketapang Port in Banyuwangi, some 290 kilometers east of Surabaya, on Thursday, demanding that the House of Representatives (DPR) withdraw the memorandum it issued on Feb. 1, censuring President Abdurrahman Wahid.

It was the second blockade of the port by Abdurrahman's supporters in their fight against what they call "unlawful moves to unseat the President". The first blockade took place on Feb. 6.

The people, from all districts in the regency of Banyuwangi, started to crowd the port at 8 a.m., until it was completely full just before noon.

The operation of ferries to and from Gilimanuk in Bali were canceled and demonstrators, who also demanded dissolution of the Golkar Party, vowed to stay at the port until House speaker Akbar Tandjung and speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Amien Rais resign.

Akbar is also chairman of the Golkar Party, while Amien is seen as the "number one enemy" of President Abdurrahman 'Gus Dur' Wahid, who chaired the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Muslim organization for 15 years.

The protesters also demanded that the MPR not hasten the special session to impeach Gus Dur, as demanded by anti-Gus Dur groups.

The protesters installed barricades at port gates, preventing anyone from entering the port. The action resulted in the standstill of a five-kilometer line of trucks, buses and cars which were heading toward the port.

All roads to the port were blocked, while closure of the segment of road between Situbondo and Banyuwangi, after protesters parked five cars and two trucks on the thoroughfare, worsened the situation.

Another group of protesters, chanting anti-Akbar and anti- Amien slogans, descended upon the Golkar Party's office on Jl. Kolonel Adisucipto.

They pelted the building with stones, but police arrived in time to prevent further vandalism.

"Everything is under control," Banyuwangi Police deputy chief Comr. Ajib Purwadi said, adding that four platoons of police were deployed to maintain order.

Abdul Gofar, the coordinator of protesters from Rogojampi district said that the House's censure of Gus Dur was based on allegations only.

"Gus Dur is accused of being involved in financial scandals, but there has been no legal evidence presented so far," he said, condemning Amien's string of efforts to expedite an MPR special session to impeach Gus Dur.

Police sources said that a group of people marked the houses of local National Mandate Party (PAN) officials, Golkar branch offices and the local Muhammadiyah chairman's house.

Amien was the former chairman of Muhammadiyah and is the current chairman of PAN.

Jakarta

Thursday was also the day for pro-Gus Dur supporters in Jakarta. More than 2,000 people claiming to be Gus Dur supporters responded to rallies by rival protesters, who had 'ruled the capital city' days before when they occupied the DPR/MPR building complex and staged a rally inside the House compound.

The Gus Dur supporters, from West Java, Central Java, East Java, Madura, West and East Nusa Tenggara, Lampung and Kalimantan, were led by Nur Arifin Husien from Semarang.

"We request a political pause, similar to the humanitarian pause imposed in Aceh. The leaders of the legislature, Amien Rais and Akbar Tandjung, must restrain their arrogance. They must set aside their ambitions of becoming the country's president to curb the prolonged political chaos," Husien said.

Pledging to support Abdurrahman retaining his post until 2004, the protesters demanded that Amien and Akbar quit their positions at the MPR and DPR.

The protesters said they would spend the night at the House building complex and would meet with the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) faction on Friday.

Meanwhile, the flow of Abdurrahman's supporters from Central Java to Jakarta continued on Thursday.

As many as 5,000 people from Cilacap, Purwokerto and Banyumas regencies entered Jakarta on Thursday, traveling by bus at their own expense.

Ahmad Ihsam, the coordinator, told reporters before leaving on Wednesday, that he and his fellow supporters had two firm demands: Amien's resignation and dissolution of the Golkar Party.

Meanwhile, reports from Central Java's capital Semarang revealed that at least 70 buses carrying Gus Dur's supporters had left for Jakarta since Monday.

Muzamil, chairman of NU's Central Java branch, said that the organization could not suppress the people's desire to go to Jakarta 'to defend' Gus Dur.

"Their action is the consequence of their anger against the political elite's attitude," Muzamil said.

While most supporters of Abdurrahman agreed to mass deployment in support of the President, deputy secretary general of the National Awakening Party (PKB) Chotibul Umam Wiranu said in Purwokerto on Thursday that he was against such a step.

"The pressure thousands of Gus Dur's supporters cause by their street action is comparable to primitive democracy, which is what the Student Executive Boards (BEMs) conducted several days ago.

"Why don't we allow the political crises to be resolved by the legislature without mass public pressure," Chotibul added.

Further disagreement with the mass rallies was aired by the rector of Jendral Soedirman University, Rubiyanto Misman, who said that mass deployment would result in chaos.

"Cooling down among the political elite would be the best way to help the nation overcome the political crises," Rubiyanto said. (nur/har/45/01/sur)