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Image Of Wahid Supporters Dips Low
by Kazi Mahmood for IslamOnline
KUALA LUMPUR, March 19 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Despite calls by Ackbar Tandjung of the Golkar party and speaker of the MPR Amien Rais that Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid take a low profile role in government, the situation in Indonesia remained untenable for another day, and is bound to continue in the same manner for the rest of the week.
The influx of pro-Wahid supporters in Jakarta and news that the famous "suicide" gang linked to the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) is heading for the capital city has caused tremors among anti-Wahid groups.
Most of the student's movements have, as of yesterday, decided to cancel temporarily anti-Wahid protests within the metropolitan city. They said the influx of the bansers and the Movement Brave to Die (PBM) "suicide" gangs, wielding machetes and other swords or sticks to threaten their opponents, was not comforting.
Members of the legislature and several political parties in Jakarta deplored the use of NU hardliners by Wahid to cling to power. They said the arrival of NU supporters in the city and their actions since last weekend have raised grave concerns over the real intentions of the President and the NU.
They said that an invasion of the Consultative Assembly (MPR) boardroom, where several lawmakers were blockaded and forced to hear demands of Wahid supporters, was a dangerous step taken by the NU.
"This shows how low and violent the NU members entering Jakarta can be," an observer in Jakarta reached on the phone by IslamOnline said.
He added, "I would not know how low the image of the NU and that of Wahid can go after what they have done last week."
Several observers and editors in Jakarta agreed on the low image of the NU since its supporters decided to enter the city, saying the mass rallies by NU supporters would backfire both on the party and Wahid.
The Muhammadiyah, the country's second largest Muslim organization, which Amien Rais once chaired, said NU followers had gone too far with street rallies in Jakarta. "It would be better for them to save the image of NU than to flock to the streets for a short-term political target," it said.
Muhammadiyah leaders said they felt Wahid's resignation would lead to a political compromise between political leaders.
The chairman of the United Development Party (PPP), Hamzah Haz, however, suggested that the House of Representatives formally hold a session to ask for accountability from the President, adding that the idea of a second memorandum of censure Wahid was a waste of time. The first memorandum of censure was issued in February.
"A special session [of the Assembly] to ask for the President's accountability is preferable," said Hamzah, a former coordinating minister for people's welfare dismissed by Wahid.
He said the conflict between the President and the House was related to allegations that the President was involved in two financial scandals.
The lingering conflict between the political elite has led the country to this situation, he said.
"The government will find it very difficult to lift the nation out of this catastrophe. Given this situation, any policy from the administration will not work because the House will counter it," he was quoted by Antara news agency as saying.
On the other hand, Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, has been asked to step in and take initiatives to run the government at the beset of Wahid.
Megawati is the leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP). She has been asked to take the initiative to mediate between Wahid's supporters and critics, led by People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais.
Some observers believe she could end the political stalemate and bring peace to the warring groups.
There are fears that if Megawati does not do anything to calm the situation in Jakarta, the current political stalemate could grow into an open conflict involving the masses.
Thousands of Wahid supporters from East and Central Java - most of them members of the NU, the country's largest Muslim organization, chaired by Gus Dur (Wahid's nickname) for 15 years - have left for the capital to defend the President.
NU chairman Hasyim Muzadi earlier warned of possible bloodshed and said another two million Gus Dur supporters could flood into Jakarta in the matter of days.
According to observers, the huge rallies by Gus Dur's supporters were proof that the recent anti-Gus Dur campaign organized by Student Executive Boards (BEMs) was an error.
They said the reaction by NU members and supporters of Gus Dur was based on a number of factors, including the charisma of the President and the fact that he is the grandson of the founder of NU, Hasyim Asyari.
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