Wiranto, Gus Dur agree on informal dialog

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Chief Gen. Wiranto and chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Islamic organization Abdurrahman Wahid have come to an agreement that a national dialog is needed to solve national problems.

However, both also agreed that such a forum should not be held in a formal style nor need it be institutionalized.

"It is important to hold a dialog to prevent misunderstanding and to enable the country's leaders to share a common perception on national issues," the two leaders said on Wednesday in a joint written statement made public by Armed Forces spokesman Maj. Gen. Syamsul Ma'arif on Thursday.

Syamsul said the meeting between the two figures, which took place in a room at the Navy Mintohardjo Hospital in Bendungan Hilir subdistrict, Central Jakarta (not at Abdurrahman's residence as previously reported), concluded that leaders from various groups should be included in the dialog.

"We are all brothers. We, therefore, need such a dialog," he quoted the two as saying in their statement.

He said the two had agreed the dialog should aim at establishing an agreement among groups on issues that should be handled to help solve the economic crisis and other problems.

Syamsul also quoted Wiranto as telling Abdurrahman that President B.J. Habibie had now expressed his readiness to receive the Moslem leader.

Abdurrahman was the first to suggest a national dialog was needed to stave off the possibility of a social revolution. He then sought a meeting with both Wiranto and Habibie, who soon afterwards said that such a dialog was not needed as it would cause even more problems.

Separately, Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid expressed his disagreement over the term "national dialog."

"If the meeting is called a national dialog, who is to decide if its participants are really representative of the population?" Syarwan cautioned reporters after attending a ceremony marking his retirement from active military service in the Central Java town of Magelang on Thursday.

"Moreover, dialogs can be held at any time," he said.

Syarwan said the only solution to the various social and political problems was to hold a fair and honest general election.

"The point is how we can now make sure that the electoral law can guarantee honesty and justice," he said.

Meanwhile, Syamsul said that Abdurrahman, who is better known as Gus Dur, had also asked Wiranto about the establishment of the Council for Enforcement of Security and Law.

"The Council for Enforcement of Security and Law is different from the now-defunct Operational Command for the Restoration of Security and Order (Kopkamtib) and the Agency for Coordinating the National Defense and Stability (Bakorstanas)."

"The new council does not operate at the regional level," Wiranto told Abdurrahman, as quoted by Syamsul.

Still quoting Wiranto, Syamsul said the council would analyze certain national problems and provide the President with suggested solutions.

The council was set up by President B.J. Habibie last month and announced on Tuesday to control and coordinate efforts to solve the crisis that has been threatening national stability as well as to uphold the country's legal system.

Syamsul said Wednesday's meeting also discussed the plan to establish a trained civilian militia called Ratih (Rakyat Terlatih) to help maintain national security. (imn/44)