Political rifts over Gus Dur's record continue

Political rifts over Gus Dur's record continue

AKARTA (JP): Political rifts over the performance of
President Abdurrahman, also known as Gus Dur, continued on
Wednesday as staunch supporters of the President and his critics
demonstrated separately in Makassar, Jakarta and Surabaya.

In the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar, hundreds of members
of the Association of Islamic Students (HMI) took to the street
demanding that the President step down. The students also
criticized the President's followers for their "barbaric" action
of attacking the HMI secretariat HMI in Surabaya, and
intimidating members in Malang in East Java and Bandung.

The demonstration started at about 11 a.m. at the HMI
secretariat with students pouring water over a bier bearing the
words "Gus Dur must step down".

Embang Syasyadin, the chairman of HMI Makassar, said the
President should have asked his grassroots-level supporters to
avoid any rebellious actions against those who have a different
political vision from Nahdlatul Ulama.

Another student, Muzakkar, said in his oration that the
President's supporters should take (political) differences as
God's mercy. "The President should have explained this to his
supporters."

The demonstrators also urged the police to take legal action
against those attacking the HMI secretariat in Surabaya.

In Jakarta the central board of HMI strongly denied an
allegation from the President's supporters that its activists had
harassed Abdurrahman during a demonstration in front of the
presidential palace last week.

"The parody was not meant to humiliate the President. It was
just the youths' way of criticizing the government, and had
nothing to do with politics. HMI officially refuses to apologize
to the President as demanded by his supporters," Fakhruddin, the
chairman of HMI central board, told a news conference at HMI
headquarters on Jl. Diponegoro on Wednesday.

During the demonstration, HMI activists performed a satirical
act criticizing Abdurrahman's poor performance.

Fakhruddin referred to what he called "terror" conducted by a
group of youths named Garda Bangsa on HMI activists in Cipatat,
Bandung, for "improper" acts by HMI activists during the protest
in Jakarta.

He also criticized Garda Bangsa's intimidation in Surabaya,
when its members occupied HMI's secretariat in Surabaya last
Thursday. "Abdurrahman has failed to promote democracy as his
supporters have intimidated and terrorized other groups who
disagree with his policy."

Separately, the secretary-general of the National Awakening
Party (PKB), Muhaimmin Iskandar, said HMI's refusal to apologize
to the President was provoking a negative reaction from his
supporters. Abdurrahman is the founding father of PKB.

"I see their actions were politically motivated to undermine
the government," Muhaimmin said.

In Surabaya, more than 500 supporters of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)
from the nearby towns of Pasuruan and Probolinggo, two of NU's
strongholds in East Java, staged demonstrations against Amien
Rais and Akbar Tandjung.

They demanded that Amien and Akbar quit their posts as
speakers of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and the
House of Representatives (DPR).

The protesters also forced a Muhammadiyah official to sign an
announcement opposing Amien Rais.

Abdurrahman Wahid had chaired NU for 15 years before he was
elected President last year.

The dispute between the "Islamic groups" started after
Abdurrahman's followers were upset by criticism launched by
People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais, who was a
chairman of another large Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah.

Like the Makassar students, the Surabaya protesters carried
three biers, each bearing the name of Amien Rais, Akbar Tandjung
and Fuad Bawazier, an alleged crony of former president Soeharto,
who is now an official in Amien Rais' National Mandate Party
(PAN).

The demonstrators carried the three biers in a solemn manner
as if they were proceeding to the cemetery.

Other protesters waved large banners reading Innalillahi
wainna illahiraji'un (an Islamic expression of condolence), Telah
Berpulang ke Rahmatullah (Rest in Peace) Amien Rais, Akbar
Tandjung and Fuad Bawazier. (02/27/nur/sur)