Observer warns of horizontal conflict

Observer warns of horizontal conflict

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Political observer Arbi Sanit from the
Jakarta-based University of Indonesia warned here on Saturday
that the country would be on the brink of horizontal conflict
unless the planned meeting of four national leaders proceeded.

Arbi suggested that the four political leaders, President
Abdurrahman Wahid, Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, House
Speaker Akbar Tandjung, and People's Consultative Assembly
Speaker Amien Rais should not hesitate in conducting the meeting
for the sake of national stability.

"The meeting must be driven by the four parties' good
intentions, or it will generate no positive outcomes for the
current problems," he told reporters after speaking at a seminar
entitled 'Strategi Mencegah Konflik Massa dan Upaya Menyelamatkan
Reformasi' (Strategies to Prevent Mass Conflict and Efforts to
Save the Reform Movement), organized by Gadjah Mada University's
Research Center for Rural and Regional Development (P3PK).

Arbi underlined that the four leaders had a moral
responsibility to jointly seek solutions to the country's complex
problems. "However, the four have been posing part of the
problem," he said.

He also suggested that the meeting's agenda include efforts to
create stable government.

He said that the National Awakening Party (PKB), which was
founded by President Abdurrahman, along with Vice President
Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) and other small parties, should form a strong
coalition to support the government.

"Akbar's Golkar Party and Amien Rais' National Mandate Party
(PAN) must not be included (in the coalition). Gus Dur's
supporters and Amien's supporters could not work together, while
Golkar's participation would only spoil the (coalition)
government's legitimacy," Arbi said, referring to Abdurrahman by
his nickname.

Arbi believed that the House would not proceed with the
planned second memorandum of censure against Gus Dur if the
meeting was fruitful.

"The meeting will inevitably deal with power distribution
among the four parties," he said, citing a previous meeting of
politicians which saw the House cancel the use of its rights of
interpellation against the President. (44)