Police, TNI may not back me: Gus Dur

Police, TNI may not back me: Gus Dur

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid conceded on Sunday
that while he was resolute in his warning to declare a state of
emergency, the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police may
not support his move.

"Forcing the issuance of a state of emergency needs the
backing of the state apparatus and it is still a question for me
whether the TNI and police will implement such a decree,"
Abdurrahman said.

Speaking in front of students during a dialog to evaluate the
reform movement, organized by the University of Indonesia Alumni
Association (Iluni-UI), Abdurrahman underlined that in such a
situation other alternatives may be more effective.

"I can issue a state of emergency, I have the power to do it
but would it be a wise decision? It may be better if we just
suspended the House of Representatives so we don't have to
dissolve them," Abdurrahman remarked.

His comments came after students who attended the event
demanded during the dialog on Sunday that the President dissolve
the House and the Golkar Party, the former ruling party of the
New Order regime.

"I keep saying and everyone should remember that I will issue
such a decree if, and only if, we cannot reach any compromise,"
the President pointed out.

"If we can achieve a political compromise then we will start
all over again from that compromise," he asserted.

Abdurrahman has repeatedly warned he will declare a state of
emergency in response to the People's Consultative Assembly's
plan to hold a special session on Aug. 1 to seek his
accountability.

If his accountability is rejected Abdurrahman could be ousted
from the presidency and replaced by Vice President Megawati
Soekarnoputri.

Abdurrahman's repeated threats of imposing a state of
emergency or dissolving the legislature have lingered for several
months and top aides have also repeatedly stated their rejection
of the idea.

In his latest threat Abdurrahman said a state of civil
emergency would be imposed at 6 p.m. on July 20 if no political
compromise was reached.

In such a situation the role of the police as one of the
primary executors of the emergency status would be pivotal.

The National Police leadership itself is currently in
disarray.

Abdurrahman dismissed National Police chief Gen. Surojo
Bimantoro and appointed Insp. Gen. Chaeruddin Ismail as his
deputy police chief to carry out the day-to-day functions of the
police chief.

Bimantoro however has not handed over his command.

The President recently ordered the arrest of Bimantoro, but
the order was rejected by his top political security minister
Agum Gumelar.

Abdurrahman insisted on Sunday that "like it or not Bimantoro
has violated regulations by rejecting the order (to hand over his
command."

"I cannot arrest him just like that because of the possibility
of causing a split in the police force, so I asked that stern
legal action be taken against him," he said.

Separately, Minister of Defense Mahfud MD said on Sunday that
after the Assembly special session the TNI and police should
adhere to their role as faithful executors of executive
instructions.

"After the special session, the House and the people should
force the TNI and police to return to their role as a state
apparatus that follows the orders of the executive," Mahfud said
during a press conference at his official residence.

Mahfud, who is due to take over the post of Attorney General,
expressed his support for stern legal action to be taken against
Bimantoro.

Meanwhile, from Surabaya Nadhatul Ulama (NU) youth-wing Ansor
Chairman Saifullah Yusuf said that his organization may support
the imposing of a state of emergency if political compromise
could not be achieved ahead of the Assembly special session.

Abdurrahman led NU for 15 years before he was elected
president in 1999.

"I don't think the President will issue such a decree at
present, because it would be an unwise decision. However, should
the compromise fail it (decree) has to be implemented. We may
support it," Saifullah said.

However he remarked optimistically that there was still time
and the possibility for compromise was open. (dja/nur)