Massive protests expected at House on Thursday

JAKARTA (JP): Thousands of people, supporters and opponents of President Abdurrahman Wahid, are almost certain to flock to the House of Representatives building on Thursday when the House plenary session is scheduled to discuss two scandals linked to the President.

Among them are at least 5,000 students from various universities in Java, including the University of Indonesia (UI), Trisakti University and the Bandung Institute of Technology.

"We will come in the same numbers as on Monday. It won't be less," the president of Trisakti Students' Union, Andre Roseade, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Andre said groups of students from outside Jakarta were staying at the Salemba campus of UI in Central Jakarta, and were ready to march on the House building.

On Wednesday, hundreds of students staged a rally at the campus, demanding the cleansing of the old regime, the upholding of the reform vision and the preemption of a new authoritarian regime.

They placed more emphasis in their demands on the cleaning up of the old regime, amid accusations by UI alumni that they were being "paid" by a certain group to urge the President to resign.

Former alumni chairman Hariyadi Dharmawan earlier demanded the eradication of the new order regime and the banning of the Golkar Party as a symbol of that regime.

Meanwhile, National Awakening Party (PKB) deputy secretary general Chotibul Umam Wiranu said that he could not guarantee that Abdurrahman's supporters would not resort to physical force to keep him as president.

"We live in a paternalistic culture. If something happens to their leader, we cannot stop them from expressing their discontent in their own way. This can be very dangerous," Chotibul told journalists on Wednesday.

He cited that in Pekalongan, Central Java, there had been a small clash between those in favor of and those against Abdurrahman. Such incidents could happen again in the future if the grass roots thought that various parties were trying to overthrow Abdurrahman, he said.

Chotibul underlined that the PKB had made many attempts to encourage the President's supporters to stay out of political controversies, but if the special committee tried to force its way, then people would flood the capital.

Police

Separately, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Saleh Saaf said that at least 1,100 security personnel were already deployed in and around the MPR/DPR complex in Central Jakarta.

They consisted of 400 officers from the National Police's elite mobile brigade (Brimob), 400 officers from the Jakarta Police and 300 soldiers.

"If the need arises, we'll increase the number of officers in the area," he said.

The police are prepared to deploy 100 police negotiators in the field on Thursday, to face rowdy demonstrators.

"Our attitude will be to negotiate without resorting to the use of force. If the protesters persist and use any kind of weapon to attack us, we will take action," he said.

Meanwhile, waves of anti-Abdurrahman protests continued on Wednesday in several cities.

In the West Sumatra capital of Padang, scores of students from Bung Hatta University reiterated their demands for an independent Sumatra and Gus Dur's prompt resignation..

Carrying mock gallows and an effigy of the President, the protesters yelled "Independent Sumatra" and "Gus Dur resign".

The demonstrators, led by the secretary of the student senate, Yarsi Sonif, then staged a parody of a people's court to try (the effigy of) Gus Dur. The trial ended with Gus Dur in the gallows.

In Makassar, violence almost broke out when some 200 anti- Abdurrahman demonstrators tried to break through a police barricade barring them from entering the South Sulawesi legislative council building.

The students grew angry after Comr. Marjuki, who was in command of the police at the council compound, said that only 25 students were allowed to meet with legislators.

The officers tried to stop the students with their batons. The peak of the protest was when the students of the University of '45 burned a bier with a chair (symbolizing the presidential seat) placed on top of it. A large picture of the President was also set ablaze. "Makassar students will continue demonstrating until Gus Dur quits and the birth of the second reform movement is brought about," spokesman for the students Al Mandari asserted.

He said that another large protest would take place on Thursday.

In Bogor, hundreds of students from the Bogor Agricultural Institute (IPB), Pakuan University and Juanda University, converged at the main gate of the Presidential Palace demanding that Gus Dur step down immediately. They also lashed out at the political elite for using violence and anarchy to achieve their goals.

"Gus Dur must quit voluntarily if he is found guilty in the Bulog and Brunei scandals," a student said in a speech.

A large group of police officers managed to prevent the students from entering the palace.

The students also availed of Wednesday's demonstration to discuss their plan "to occupy" the House in Jakarta on Thursday.

In the East Java capital of Surabaya, anti- and pro- Abdurrahman groups unexpectedly met at the provincial legislature on Wednesday. No clashes were reported.

Some 200 people, claiming to be from the People's Group for Total Reform and Anti-New Order, moved from the Bungkul Park, which is close to the Nahdlatul Ulama head office on Jl. Raya Darmo, to the legislative council.

Yelling anti-New Order slogans, the protesters criticized Amien Rais, speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly who is known as the staunch critic of Gus Dur.

After they had spent about one hour "occupying" the legislative council grounds, another group consisting of around 200 students from various universities arrived at the scene to stage a protest against Gus Dur.

"We ask the DPR (the House) to stick to the reform movement's goals; creating clean and good governance," Debi, the students coordinator, said.

About 200 riot police kept a close watch on the demonstrators closely. (team)