Talk of a state of emergency continues

Talk of a state of emergency continues

JAKARTA (JP): Controversy over the issuance of state of
emergency continued, as President Abdurrahman Wahid sent out
conflicting signals over the matter following a call from the
House of Representatives for a special session.

Despite his repeated denial and objections from military
officials and ministers, Abdurrahman hinted several hours after
the House's decision that he would take stern action to deal with
the situation.

On Thursday, Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab
reiterated that declaring a state of civil emergency was not a
feasible alternative and that ministers were still sticking to a
compromise proposal.

"I don't think that (the state of emergency) is a viable
option now. I have been suggesting compromise," Alwi, who is also
Abdurrahman's close confidante, told journalists after the
closing ceremony of the G-15 summit.

"It (the state of emergency) is not in our recommendation, the
previous proposal still remains compromise, I think we will stick
to that," he remarked.

Presidential spokesman Adhi Massardi also denied on Wednesday
evening the possibility of the issuance of a state of emergency
saying that the President does not currently have the intention
to declare it.

However, protesters against the Assembly's special session,
who met Abdurrahman on Wednesday night, gave a different
statement on Thursday.

One of them, Martin Manurung, said that Abdurrahman would
consider their demand for the issuance of the decree.

"Gus Dur has not yet fulfilled the demand but said that he was
considering the same ideas that we were offering him," Martin
told The Jakarta Post, addressing the President by his nickname.

Martin said that during the one-hour meeting, they read out a
statement from supporters of Abdurrahman demanding the President
declare a state of emergency, dissolve the House and hold a
general election in the next six months.

"Gus Dur thanked us for the proposal and said that he would
consider it. But he did not say that he would do it ," Martin
added.

"He also refrained from mentioning the state of emergency
decree, but he said that he would take stern action to deal with
the current situation," he added.

The group additionally asked Abdurrahman whether he was
certain that the Indonesian Military (TNI) would back him, should
a state of emergency be issued, as most military officials had
publicly expressed their rejection of the idea.

"I am sure that the TNI will stay loyal to their highest
commander (the President)," Abdurrahman answered the group, as
quoted by Martin.

The protesters who met Abdurrahman were Dita Indah Sari,
Helmi Faisal, KH Asep Saefuddin, KH Mujib Imron, H. Fatur
Rasyid, Sulaiman Haikal, Thamrin Amal Tomagola and Alexander
Irwan.

The House, during Wednesday's plenary session agreed to call
for a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly to
demand Abdurrahman account for his administration's performance.

The special session could be an impeachment hearing for him,
if the Assembly then rejects his speech.

Abdurrahman, in apparent moves to avoid the special session,
had threatened to issue a state of emergency decree and had also
offered a constitutional delegation of power to Vice President
Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Social and Security
Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had rejected the idea saying
that it was not necessary to issue a state of emergency at the
moment.

Earlier, one of Abdurrahman's close aides told the Post that
if Abdurrahman wanted to issue a state of emergency, he should
cement support from the TNI or wait until there was a situation
that could justify triggering a state of emergency.

In a media conference after the closing of the G-15 summit on
Thursday, Abdurrahman declined to comment on his political future
following the House's call for a special session, saying that
there will be a forum to answer the issue.

But he underlined that the House's decision did not affect him
at all, especially during the summit.

"We didn't want the summit questions to be dominated by
domestic affairs... For that there will be another forum that we
will prepare for you tomorrow," Abdurrahman said in English at
the media briefing.

When asked whether he was embarrassed that the House had shown
great resistance toward him, the President replied: "I won't
answer that ... If you ask (if there was) an influence, there was
no influence at all (on the summit)".

Alwi said the President was not bothered by the House's
decision and that a compromise would be "the most likely
(possibility) for the future".

"We still have two months to go, two months means 60 days, a
compromise could be reached in just one hour," he said. (dja)