Last minute appeal from Denpasar

Last minute appeal from Denpasar

If the purpose of the appeal from Denpasar, Bali, by the cream
of the country's intellectuals and influential elite that the
nation return to the reform track was to attract the media's
attention and be widely spread among the population, the
objective has been more than achieved judging from the intensive
press coverage of the event.

But if one expects the government and society, notably the
President, to dramatically change course following the Denpasar
recommendations and warning of an impending second national
economic crisis, they may be disappointed.

President Abdurrahman Wahid himself has already indicated that
the "real culprits must be sought among members of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the House of Representatives
(DPR)" who are planning to get rid of him. What follows is a list
of names of people reportedly on the waiting list to be arrested.

How incredible it must sound that the man who championed the
cause of democracy following the repressive era under former
president Soeharto, should now himself resort to dictatorial
methods, at least in intentions. This is clearly a drawback from
the reform process which the Denpasar Forum intended to guard
through their 11th hour dialog before the MPR convenes in August
this year.

Most of the people who spoke in Denpasar and sounded various
warnings spoke earlier about the same or identical themes, but in
less dramatic fashion. Nurcholish Madjid, one of the leaders
behind the forum, has been charged with giving too early a sign
that Abdurrahman should be allowed to finish his term despite his
many controversial statements. Such decision would be more
appropriately taken by the MPR/DPR.

The fact that the forum was convened to discus urgent national
issues and suggest solutions could be seen as a break in the
link between the country's formal leaders and intellectuals.

The initiative to hold a consultative meeting at the 11th hour
on such a grand scale, nevertheless, is commendable if after a
period of say three months the course of impending calamity can
be changed. Most importantly, if the Soeharto case can be settled
and foreign investors' interest restored, economic restructuring
can move again.

GANDHI SUKARDI

Jakarta