Source APC Newsgroup: act.indonesia
Source APC Newsgroup: act.indonesia
Written by: tapol@gn.apc.org
Date: 08 Nov 1998 03:43:37
Subject: AFR: Climate of Uncertainty in Jakarta
From: tapol@gn.apc.org (TAPOL)
Subject: AFR: Climate of Uncertainty in JakartaFrom Joyo:
Australian Financial Review
Saturday, November 7, 1998Jakarta on alert ahead of
meeting on reformsBy Greg Earl, Jakarta
The new climate of uncertainty in Jakarta this week was probably best captured
by photographs in Thursday's newspapers showing electrified barbed wire at the
national Parliament.With 125,000 civilians recruited to bolster the 20,000 police and soldiers
protecting a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) next
week, there have been many comparisons with the tensions of six months ago.But by Friday officials were denying there was any electrified wire around the
Parliament and blaming the newspaper photographs on malicious pranksters.The confusion about security arrangements parallels the broader uncertainty
about just what will happen when the 1,000-member special MPR meets to
consider 12 political reform decrees.There have been warnings of severe conflict if the Government pushes ahead
with unpopular measures such as reaffirming the military's right to appointed
seats in the Parliament. And the scenario of a legislature -- which is
discredited because most members come from the Soeharto era -- deliberating
while protesters surround the Parliament certainly looks like a repeat of the
May occupation of the same building, which led to President Soeharto's
downfall.But much has changed since May, which is why next week's special MPR meeting
may produce more of an impasse than a full-on confrontation. Leading
Opposition figure Amien Rais said reformers have no choice but to allow the
session to proceed without disruption because it is the first step towards a
proper general election next year. To do otherwise would create a
revolutionary situation and Indonesia "is not ready for a revolution", he
said.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TAPOL, the Indonesia Human Rights Campaign
111 Northwood Road, Thornton Heath,
Surrey CR7 8HW, UK
Phone: 0181 771-2904 Fax: 0181 653-0322
email: tapol@gn.apc.org
Campaigning to expose human rights violations in
Indonesia, East Timor, West Papua and AcehJoin us to celebrate TAPOL's 25th anniversary on
20 October 1998. Contact us for ticket details.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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