-Caveat Lector- ----Original Message Follows---- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Rich Winkel) To: undisclosed-recipients:; Subject: Indonesian Military makes a power play Date: Wed, 15 Sep 1999 23:45:27 -0500 (CDT) /** reg.easttimor: 3639.0 **/ ** Topic: AFR in Jkt: Military makes a power play in political vacuum ** ** Written 2:33 PM Sep 14, 1999 by [EMAIL PROTECTED] in cdp:reg.easttimor ** Subject: AFR in Jkt: Military makes a power play in political vacuum Australian Financial Review Wednesday, September 15, 1999 Military makes a power play in political vacuum By Tim Dodd, Jakarta With Indonesia in the grip of political paralysis, a top military leader publicly moved to stake the army's claim to power, warning of increasing turmoil in the country and calling on members of the armed forces to take a stronger political role to safeguard national interests. The deputy commander of the armed forces, Admiral Widodo, told a meeting of all regional commanders at the military's Jakarta headquarters on Monday that Indonesia's political leaders and national elite were not working for consensus or building national goals. He warned that conditions were not "conducive" to the special session of Indonesia's supreme parliament, the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), which convenes next month and will elect the new president as well as make the final decision about giving independence to East Timor. The military's political muscle flexing came as fears increase that the Indonesian army will not accept the presence of Australian troops in the UN's East Timor peacekeeping force and may not respond to presidential direction to accept an Australian-led force. Although Admiral Widodo did not suggest the MPR session should be cancelled, his comments are a further indication that the armed forces have moved to fill the power vacuum in Jakarta. On one side there is President Habibie's paralysed administration and on the other there is an opposition that has been unable to form an effective alliance to take power when the MPR meets. President Habibie's position was weakened even further yesterday when it was revealed that one his closest political cronies, the president of the Supreme Advisory Council, Mr Arnold Baramuli, had warned privately that the Bank Bali scandal would implicate the president if it was not covered up. Both the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank have put further assistance to Indonesia on hold until the scandal, which destroyed the integrity of the country's $140 billion bank rescue plan, is resolved. Yesterday the World Bank set off more alarm bells, suggesting there could be other cases similar to Bank Bali which have corrupted the bank restructuring effort. The deterioration of President Habibie's position came as the United Nations yesterday finally abandoned its compound in Dili. Witnesses said militia torched the compound soon after the last of the 110 UN staff and 1,300 refugees were flown to Australia. In his Monday speech, reported in the Media Indonesia newspaper yesterday, Admiral Widodo said large numbers of Indonesians were disappointed, restless and confused with the economic situation. "The potential for conflict among the people is still high," he said. "If it accelerates there will be a lot of disturbance and turmoil in Jakarta and several regions. "The conditions are not a good situation and not conducive for the (MPR) special session that has to be democratic and stable." As a naval officer, Admiral Widodo is not a rival to General Wiranto, who heads the army-dominated armed forces, and is regarded as speaking for his chief. There were conflicting signals yesterday over whether Indonesia would put obstacles in the way of accepting Australian troops in the UN peacekeeping force that is to restore order in East Timor. President Habibie told a European Union delegation there were no conditions attached to his invitation to the UN to send a force and that the composition was up to the UN. However, the Home Affairs Minister, Mr Syarwan Hamid, said the UN should consider Indonesia's "objections". On Monday, the armed forces official spokesman, Major-General Sudrajat, said Indonesia could not "simply accept" Australian troops. And key parliamentarians also raised objections to Australian participation, with the chairman of the foreign affairs committee saying troops from Australia, New Zealand and Portugal should be rejected. In New York yesterday, a meeting between UN Secretary-General Mr Kofi Annan and the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Mr Ali Alatas, did not resolve the conditions for the entry of the UN force into East Timor. ** End of text from cdp:reg.easttimor ** *************************************************************************** This material came from the Institute for Global Communications (IGC), a non-profit, unionized, politically progressive Internet services provider. For more information, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] (you will get back an automatic reply), or visit their web site at http://www.igc.org/ . 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