------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- To: undisclosed-recipients:; From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date sent: Thu, 20 Jul 2000 05:58:23 EDT Send reply to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [reformasitotal] Wahid supporters warn of revolution if he is toppled [ Double-click this line for list subscription options ] Kyodo News Service July 19, 2000 Wahid supporters warn of revolution if he is toppled By Christine T. JAKARTA Young supporters of Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid warned Wednesday of social revolution if there are efforts to topple him following reports of planned rallies by various political groups during a session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in August. The supporters from five mass organizations under the umbrella of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the biggest Muslim organization in the country, which Wahid used to chair, said in a joint communique there is 'immaturity' among the political elite in the country. According to the youth groups, under the 'Young Generation of Nahdlatul Ulama,' the immaturity 'is clear in how strong their ambition to take over power is; their dishonesty; and their lack of understanding of the spirit of reform.' 'The Young Generation of Nahdlatul Ulama really believes that all kinds of efforts to force the takeover of power systematically or by trickery by toppling Abdurrahman Wahid will spark a social revolution,' the communique said. 'The efforts are unconstitutional and will be strongly opposed not only by millions of Nahdlatul Ulama members, but also by all components of the nation who support reform and democracy,' it said. NU has 40 million members. Earlier Tuesday, Jakarta Military Regional Commander Maj. Gen. Ryamizard Ryacudu was quoted by private radio network Elshinta as saying various political groups plan to stage rallies during the annual session of the MPR, with the number of demonstrators estimated at 100,000. Ryamizard said the Jakarta command plans to mobilize about 5,000 troops to protect the parliament. 'But the police number will immediately be increased if the tension escalates,' he was quoted by the Jakarta Post as saying. Troops from neighboring cities and towns will also be deployed to support the security operation around the parliament. According to Elshinta, Ryamizard said the projected number of demonstrators is based on information gathered by the military. He did not specify to which political parties or organizations the expected demonstrators belong. The Post report quoted National Police Chief Gen. Rusdihardjo as saying 9,500 police and 12,000 members of the People's Security Guards, a police-trained civilian militia, will be deployed to secure the MPR general session. 'The number will be doubled if the situation reaches an emergency level,' he said. The MPR, Indonesia's highest state authority, is scheduled to hold its annual general session Aug. 7-18, during which Wahid is expected to give an account of his turbulent first nine months in office. 'Our president was democratically elected by a majority of the assembly's members...therefore, there are no grounds to topple him,' Ryamizard said. Wahid has drawn strong criticism from various groups for unpopular policies and statements and his apparent inability to solve the country's economic problems. Leaders of the major political parties, while critical of the president, have discounted the likelihood of impeachment because of the heavy political cost it would exact on the country. Jusfiq Hadjar gelar Sutan Maradjo Lelo ===================================== * Ijtihad untuk mencerdaskan ajaran Islam yang sekarang ini penuh ketololan, kedunguan, kegoblokan dan kebodohan * Ijtihad untuk memanusiawikan ajaran Islam yang sekarang ini biadab, keji dan nista
