Fears of widespread violence if Parliament pushes ahead with session to oust President
Terror is spreading in the strongholds of President Abdurrahman Wahid and hundreds of his aggressive supporters have arrived in Jakarta ahead of today's parliamentary session, which will almost certainly call for his impeachment.
District officials from Pasaruan, East Java, fled to Jakarta, saying mobs had closed their offices. A pro-Wahid mob of about 5,000 burned a Protestant church in Pasaruan and other buildings associated with his rivals. Police fired warning shots as crowds burned tyres in the streets, threw firecrackers and tried to attack the police station.
Local councillor Ahmad Sufiyaji said the few security guards could do little to control the mass of armed rioters.
Police searched train and bus passengers arriving in the capital yesterday from East Java, confiscating sickles, machetes, bamboo spears and other weapons.
In the provincial capital Surabaya, police also fired warning shots to disperse 3,000 Wahid fans as they tried to storm the local parliament, witnesses said. Similar crowds were reported in Jombang, Mr Wahid's home town, and in Sidoarjo, south of Surabaya. In Lampung, South Sumatra, two bombs exploded near the homes of the local district head and the local Golkar party boss. Windows were shattered but no injuries reported, state news agency Antara reported.
Wahid supporters say Parliament must not call for a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), the only body that can vote Mr Wahid from office. They note the Attorney-General has absolved Mr Wahid of alleged corruption, Parliament's basis for impeachment, and some see Mr Wahid as little short of God.
Fears of the looming confrontation are rising, but Parliament's determination to pursue Mr Wahid seems unassailable.
His likely successor, Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri, said through party officials yesterday that the impeachment moves would continue, implying she has rejected Mr Wahid's offer of a power-sharing deal.
Her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) holds the most seats in the House of Representatives (DPR). Former president Suharto's Golkar party is second largest, while Mr Wahid's National Awakening Party (PKB) holds only 11 per cent of the seats.
'In a meeting this morning, we decided to call for a special session. We are not happy with the President,' PDI-P secretary-general Soetjipto said.
Parliamentary Speaker and Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung said: 'Parliament's demand . . . is not only because of the two [corruption] affairs, but also because of the President's performance, attitude and policies.'
Throughout the day, more coaches arrived at Jakarta's central Monas monument carrying hundreds of East Javanese Wahid fans, reflecting a high level of funding and organisation. Wearing green headbands, these rough-looking men were first fed from lunch boxes then treated to a mini rock concert from a band on the back of a truck.
'If they try to provoke mass unrest, then we'll beat them up,' Jakarta police chief Inspector General Sofyan Jacob said.
Signifying the confusion in the highly charged political landscape, these potential thugs were joined by middle-class activists calling for 'total reform', small groups of women in head scarfs and members of the leftist People's Democratic Party.
The latter were demonstrating against the New Order, Suharto's former reign, with a message of anti-corruption and anti-repression. They soon meshed with the mobs of East Java, while truckloads of soldiers waited nearby. Some demonstrators were young boys in school uniform.
Yesterday's upsurge in violence came one day after Mr Wahid ordered his security forces to take control of law and order. The Kompas daily newspaper quoted Mr Wahid's Chief Security Minister, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, as saying Mr Wahid had had a decree ready to declare emergency rule on Monday and ditched it moments before facing the press. 'I myself, the military chief, the police chief were in one voice . . . we would not support and openly disagreed with the issuance of an [emergency] decree,' Kompas quoted former general Susilo as saying.
Observers agree that the main threat of violence comes from Mr Wahid's own supporters. 'Neither the President or any of his cabinet members have even once condemned their activities, giving the strong impression that they are part and parcel of the President's grand scheme to help him stay in office,' the Jakarta Post said.
After today's likely next step in the impeachment process, Mr Wahid still has two months before a special session can actually be held, and deal-making could continue.
On Mr Wahid's schedule for today is the formal opening of a summit of the G15 group of developing nations, attended by several Asian, South American and African heads of state at a convention centre near the heavily guarded Parliament complex.
'If Parliament goes ahead with a special session, we will look for Amien Rais and Akbar Tandjung and kill them,' said Sujali, a 59-year-old construction worker from Gresik, in Mr Wahid's home province of East Java.