Gus Dur's power base calm despite second censure

SURABAYA (JP): Surabaya and several other areas in President Abdurrahman Wahid's political stronghold of East Java and base of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), remained calm on Monday.

In the province' capital, the majority of residents preferred to stay home following on television the proceedings of the House of Representatives' Plenary Session that issued the second memorandum to censure the President.

Most shops and offices remained open, but traffic was quiet even in areas normally congested during rush hours.

However, the East Java Police were on level II alert and readied 3,700 troops comprising members from the Police, Army, Marines and the Air Force, East Java Police chief Sr. Comr. Suharto said.

"Basically we want to safeguard the decision made by the House and its possible impact here," Suharto added.

The situation also remained peaceful in the Ketapang Port in Banyuwangi regency as three companies of joint police and military units along with dozens of civilian guards from the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)'s Pagar Nusa guarded the port compound.

Three months ago, the port was occupied by the President's supporters, shortly after the issuance of the first censure. They were there for few days, paralyzing ferry services from East Java to Bali island.

Banyuwangi Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Anton Setiadi said on Monday that a navy ship with 100 marines on board had docked near the port.

A sharp drop in the number of passengers passing through the port connecting East Java and Bali through the Bali straits was evident on Monday. This scene was repeated in Gilimanuk on the Bali side.

The Ketapang - Gilimanuk transportation office head, Taufik Handriawan, said that Ketapang Port had experienced a 40 percent drop in passengers on Monday.

"On a normal day there are some 1,400 vehicles crossing the straits but today less than 900 vehicles were recorded," Taufik said, adding that 16 ferries were available at the port on Monday.

Police had also secured the main electricity post, serving the network of Java and Bali, on Jl. Raden Wijaya in Banyuwangi.

Offices of other Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah located throughout the province were also guarded by police personnel.

Setiadi said that a total of 1,600 men in a joint military and police force had been deployed in Banyuwangi regency, known as one of the NU's strongholds.

He said that as of 5 p.m. local time the situation in Banyuwangi was calm and there were no reports of mass actions or unrest.

The officer also dismissed reports that unrest had broken out in the East Java cities of Probolinggo, Situbondo and Pasuruan.

"I have contacted my colleagues in those three towns and the situation there is reportedly calm," he said.

East Java is home to millions of President Abdurrahman Wahid's die-hard followers. Abdurrahman once led the NU for 15 consecutive years before he was elected the country's president in an overwhelming vote by the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in October, 1999.

Many feared there would be a backlash once the House issued a second memorandum of censure of Abdurrahman on Monday.

Meanwhile, Bali's Gilimanuk port was nearly deserted on Monday as there were almost no passengers or vehicles passing through the usually busy and crowded port to cross the Bali Straits to East Java and vice versa, Antara said.

Gilimanuk port, which connects Bali with East Java's Ketapang Port was empty even though a total of 14 ferries were ready to transport passengers and vehicles.

Passengers and port officials were seen closely monitoring broadcasts of the House plenary session convened to consider issuing a second memorandum of censure against President Gus Dur.

As of 2 p.m. local time, only one ship had departed Gilimanuk for Ketapang port whereas usually packed ferries depart every half an hour.

According to a port official, this was the first time that port activities had nearly ground to a halt.

Port officials, however, also said they were ready to transport security personnel just in case more troop deployments were needed to prevent unrest.

Rumors circulating at the port, however, said that a mass action would break out in the area around the port if the House issued a second censure against the President.

Meanwhile in Makassar, the capital city of South Sulawesi, around 100 students from various universities, grouped under the Grey Ribbon Consortium and the Urip Sumohardjo University Students Committee rallied outside the provincial council building on Monday.

The students demanded Abdurrahman resign.

They rejected the invitation of local councillors for a dialog and instead held orations.

"We don't want to dialog with the councillors, what is important for us is what concrete steps the local council will make to oust Gus Dur," one student said.

They dispersed peacefully after finishing their speeches and returned to their respective campuses. (27/nur/emf/zen/edt)