To impeach or not to impeach
Just how close Indonesia got to a state of emergency and to a reshuffle of its military leaders last weekend is difficult to tell precisely; but it looked like a very close shave indeed. Megawati, perhaps buoyed by Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's success in the Philippines, scuttled about and, despite her normal taciturnity, made speeches that, this time, gave us more than a hint as to the approach she would adopt should she, albeit reluctantly, become president.
Despite the tension in the air, President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid nonchalantly took a slow train to central Java, missing the very Cabinet meeting Megawati had been so keen to attend.
Gus Dur's veiled threats and apparent indifference to the hectic activity of his vice president and senior military officers may, though, have been part of yet another of his subtle strategies that gained him the presidency and removed opposition to him in the military in the first place. If so, it may be working, for now many are having second thoughts about the impeachment process. This will almost certainly frustrate Amien Rais whose chameleon-like maneuverings within the Axis Force are undoubtedly aimed at improving his chances of being elected president in 2004.
Amien Rais must know that Megawati's chances of doing any better than Gus Dur in governing this huge, unwieldy and socio- economically sick land that is currently in the throes of moving from dictatorship to democracy, are very slim indeed. All the more so if she rises to power by alienating the Nahdlatul Ulama and the President's National Awakening Party. What better way for Amien Rais to discredit his opponents than to threaten to impeach one protagonist until forced to hand the reigns of this bucking bronco to another?
Just the opposite, however, is the best way to keep this nation together and on course -- by demonstrating to all concerned a high level of cooperation between leaders for the sake of the country. Those who place their personal ambition before the welfare of the people should not be allowed to engineer division purely for the sake of political gain.
FRANK RICHARDSON
Tangerang, Banten