More demonstrations for special session of MPR

More demonstrations for special session of MPR

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Two hundred youths rallied at the local
legislative council here yesterday demanding a special session of
the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to replace President
B.J. Habibie.

Representing six organizations, including the Indonesian
Moslem Students Movement (PMII) and the Indonesian Christian
Students Movement (PMKRI), the youths said they rejected the
transfer of the 1998/2003 presidency from Soeharto to Habibie.

They blasted Habibie's administration as lacking a legal basis
because the MPR had yet to revoke its appointment of Soeharto and
Habibie as president and vice president respectively.

"We still demand Habibie step down, and Soeharto to be brought
to a special MPR session (to account for his leadership)," one of
the protesters said.

They called on the MPR to establish an "independent presidium"
-- a transitional government which would establish new political
laws and organize a general election.

The young people were met by legislators Khairuddin and Herman
Abdurrahman.

They dispersed peacefully after the demonstration.

In Jakarta, 20 student representatives from two universities
-- 17 Agustus University in Jakarta and Patimura University in
Ambon -- came to the House of Representatives to meet with
leaders of the Golkar and Armed Forces factions.

The two delegations held separate discussions with the faction
leaders on reform and the need for a MPR special session to elect
a new president.

The students also demanded that government officials and
former officials be audited for their personal wealth.

Slamet Effendy Yusuf of Golkar agreed that a special Assembly
session could be conducted, but doubted the body could come to a
solution given the many conflicting stances concerning the
legitimacy of Habibie's appointment.

He also said he doubted a general election could be held in a
manner that would satisfy pro-reform groups.

"We can't be sure the elections would solve problems. No one
knows, but maybe we should come to a compromise," he said.

"The debates among constitutional law experts (over Habibie's
legitimacy) also add to the confusion," Slamet was quoted by
Antara as saying.

He promised the House would eventually reach a conclusion to
all of the debates and adopt measures that would satisfy the
people's aspirations.

Debates over Soeharto's resignation and transfer of office to
Habibie last Thursday, continued, with some observers saying that
only the MPR had the authority to appoint a new president. Others
also questioned the fact that the transfer took place at the
State Palace instead of before the People's Consultative Assembly
plenary.

Others have argued that Habibie's ascension to power was
legitimate given it was conducted before the Supreme Court and
because it met a constitutional stipulation that if a president
becomes incapacitated, the vice president must take on the
presidential duties until the term of office is completed.

In Surabaya, dozens of East Java ulema and Moslem scholars
called on Moslem youths not to demonstrate in order to prevent
further unrest. However, even as the call was made, hundreds of
students from the PMII rallied at and later took over the
provincial legislative council building.

Call

The students said they would not leave the site until the MPR
held a special session.

The same call was made by Frans Seda, a former cabinet
minister, when he spoke to reporters yesterday after meeting with
Habibie at the Bina Graha presidential office.

"The government should immediately call for a special MPR
session to address society's growing demands, especially those
concerning economic issues," he said. "Our ... problem now is
whether the government can restore trust in the economic sector.
It can only be done through a special MPR session."

The National Commission on Human Rights said separately that
the government, pro-reform elements and the House of
Representatives should concentrate on providing people with
adequate basic needs rather than becoming preoccupied with
political matters.

The government, however, should establish commissions for
national reform and clean government, the rights commission said
in a statement signed by, among others, deputy chairman Marzuki
Darusman and deputy chairwoman Miriam Budiardjo.

The commissions are needed to restore the confidence of both
local and international communities on the government, the rights
body said.

"The government needs to establish policies on the direction
of the nation, which reflects the spirit of reform, and based on
the aspirations of all groups in society," it said.

"In addition, the government needs to professionally develop
good relationships with the international community," the rights
body said.

Lawsuit

A group of 52 lawyers and legal counsels filed a class action
suit at the Central Jakarta District Court yesterday against the
1998/2003 MPR and all of the body's legal products.

Led by senior lawyer R.O. Tambunan, the group said the MPR
membership was invalid, and that all of its products should
therefore be nullified.

The group said 575 of the 1,000 Assembly members could not be
considered legitimate because they had not been fairly elected.

Seventeen other members, they said, were also illegal because
they represented the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) faction
under the chairmanship of Soerjadi -- whose legitimacy was still
under court consideration.

MPR decrees on several issues, including the appointment of
Soeharto and Habibie as president and vice president
respectively, should also be nullified, they said.
(23/44/swe/prb)