Students take stage as Gus Dur's supporters leave
JAKARTA (JP): Rallies in support of beleaguered President Abdurrahman Wahid took a totally different turn on Friday when militant groups of students took to the street in the place of his die-hard supporters, who started leaving the city for their home towns in East Java.
The President's student supporters staged rallies in front of the presidential palace, Central Jakarta, to protest the House of Representatives' (DPR) decision to recommend a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), which could potentially lead to his impeachment.
Prayers to God and praises to prophet Muhammad filled the air when his die-hard supporters crowded in front of the palace on Wednesday and Thursday.
Friday's rally, however, was dominated by revolutionary slogans, such as Revolusi sampai mati (Revolution to the death) or Revolusi sekarang juga (Revolution now), as militant supporters, mostly students, took the spotlight.
Most protesters were from student action organizations, such as Famred, Forbes, FND and Pijar, united under the Information Center for People's Struggle.
The rally started late in the afternoon, at about 3 p.m., allowing supporters to observe the Friday prayers.
As the student-dominated crowd was preparing to march to the National Monument (Monas) park, many of Abdurrahman's supporters from East Java were seen flooding into the park with their luggage ready to go home.
They, however, refused to confirm that they were returning home.
"No, I always carry the bag. We are not going home yet," a supporter told The Jakarta Post while hurriedly leaving.
Meanwhile, another supporter, Irfan from Jombang, East Java, admitted that many of the supporters were going home, but added that many more die-hard supporters would come to Jakarta in their place.
"Most of those who are leaving are older people and women. As for myself, I will stay until Gus Dur issues the edict (to declare a state of emergency)," he said, while holding his travel bag.
Following the House's decision on Wednesday to recommend a special session of the MPR, thousands of Abdurrahman supporters staged a rally in front of the presidential palace, demanding that the president issue an edict to declare a state of emergency, to be followed by dissolution of the House, banning of the Golkar Party and a snap general election.
On Thursday, these supporters again picketed the presidential palace amid rumors that the President would deliver a speech in front of the building. This event, however, never materialized.
At about 4 p.m. on Friday, many of these supporters were seen withdrawing from the crowd and by about 5 p.m. it was apparent that there were not many remaining. Only students were seen rallying in front of the palace.
Adj. Commissioner Sucipto of the Gambir police subprecinct told the Post that most of the supporters would use a special train to return to their home towns.
The train would leave at about 6:30 p.m. from Senen railway station in Central Jakarta, he said.
It was reported that about 200 supporters departed from the Senen railway station on Thursday.
Separately, the spokesman for state railway company PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI)'s Greater Jakarta operations unit, Zainal Abidin, said the company would provide extra transportation for the President's supporters until Sunday.
The company provided a special train to transport the supporters to Probolinggo, East Java, which left the Senen station at about 6:40 p.m. on Friday carrying some 1,200 supporters.
In addition, the company also reserved two regular trains to transport other groups of supporters to East Java. They were the Gaya Baru train leaving for Surabaya and the Matarmaja train leaving for Malang.
In total, the company transported some 1,700 supporters on Friday, Zainal said.
According to KAI's data, a total of 4,800 Abdurrahman supporters had arrived in the city using various trains from East and Central Java.
"We are ready to transport them back to their home towns. We are also ready to transport those who came here using buses.
"We will use the regular trains if they come in small groups, but if they come in large number we will provide a special train to carry them home," he said. (hdn/nvn)