Listen to vox populi

The authorities appear to be taking no chances in the countdown to the General Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) which begins on Sunday. They have vowed to clamp down at the first signs of trouble and, judging from their actions of the past few days, they mean what they say.

In Jakarta, where the session will be held from March 1-11, street protests and all political meetings have been banned. Any group or organization wishing to voice political sentiment must first obtain police permission. As soon as these measures were announced, the police were put to the test. On Sunday, a seminar which planned to discuss the nomination of Emil Salim for vice president was banned. Then on Monday, a handful of women demonstrating peacefully at soaring food prices were detained.

The ban on all political meetings and seminars from one week before to one week after the MPR General Session extends nationwide and in practice appears to have been applied to all kinds of gatherings, even wedding receptions.

The military has good reason to be vigilant. The sporadic riots, widespread unrest, hoax bomb threats, protests and expression of discontent which have hit Indonesia in recent weeks all have the potential to undermine national security and stability. Since the MPR General Session is regarded as the climax in the nation's five year political cycle, the military naturally feels that it is duty-bound to ensure its success, hence the restrictions.

The importance of the MPR session cannot be overemphasized. Much of the next five years of Indonesia's history will be determined during the 11 day meeting of our 1,000 MPR members. The State Policy Guidelines will be drawn up and a president and vice president elected with the people's mandate to implement the policies contained in that document.

But since most of the outcomes of the General Session are decided beforehand, apprehension over possible disruptions to the meeting may be exaggerated.

The State Policy Guidelines were drafted and agreed upon by the five MPR factions during working committee meetings held between November and January. All the decrees that the Assembly intends to endorse have also been agreed in advance. President Soeharto is assured of election to a seventh term and B.J. Habibie is likely be the sole candidate for the vice presidency. With the most important decisions taken before the General Session convenes, all that needs doing is to bang the gavel.

A smoother meeting could not be asked for. But there is still a threat of disruption from outside the MPR building. Senior military officers have issued a stern warning to anybody tempted to take this course of action.

While we appreciate the authorities' concern, we are deeply disturbed by the heavy restrictions imposed, such as the ban on gatherings and political meetings, which amount to a suppression of popular opinion at a time when the nation is in need of public reflection, dialog and discussion.

The General Session may be a gathering of the country's elite, but the rest of the nation should not be ostracized from the process of shaping the future. Although decisions on the most critical issues have been taken, members of the five MPR factions would be wise to heed the voice of the people they represent. Recent rioting, unrest, criticism and protests suggest there is a lot of pent-up emotion looking for an outlet. A considerate and caring ear may go a long way to relieving this pressure.

It is wrong to think that the MPR will be successful only if the proceedings run smoothly. A more telling measure of success will be the way in which the MPR sets out to meet the aspirations of the electorate. At a time like this, popular expression must be encouraged, not suppressed.