Saya forward The New York Times Editorial 06/02/01: Political Turbulence in Indonesia Less than two years after he took office as Indonesia's first democratically elected leader, President Abdurrahman Wahid could be ousted from power by summer's end. Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country and Southeast Asia's largest oil producer, is politically and economically unstable. But a legitimate constitutional process is under way that can provide for an orderly transfer of power. Mr. Wahid should refrain from a lawless attempt to retain power that could sabotage Indonesia's experiment in democracy. The Indonesian Parliament voted overwhelmingly this week to schedule a special session of the nation's highest constitutional body in early August to consider dismissing the president from office. It is widely expected to do so. Mr. Wahid is in large part a victim of his own political incompetence and his inability to work with Parliament or rally public support. He failed to arrest Indonesia's economic decline or bring its unaccountable military under civilian authority. Mr. Wahid has unwisely threatened to declare a state of emergency that would allow him to impose martial law and dissolve Parliament. Yesterday he shuffled his cabinet, replacing among others the top security minister, who had publicly opposed emergency rule. Mr. Wahid has done little to dissuade supporters in his home province from attacking the homes and offices of rival parties. If he is dismissed from power, Mr. Wahid would be the third Indonesian leader ousted from office in a little more than three years. He would be replaced by Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri, the daughter of Indonesia's founding leader, Sukarno. Mrs. Megawati is a conservative nationalist who is likely to give Indonesia's military a freer hand in crushing dissent and suppressing separatist movements in the archipelago nation. For most of its half-century as an independent country, Indonesia has been ruled by corrupt dictators who trampled the rule of law. President Suharto, the longtime ruler, resigned in 1998 during rioting that followed the Asian financial collapse. His successor, B. J. Habibie, abandoned the presidential race in 1999 after overseeing Indonesia's violent withdrawal from East Timor. Indonesia's 210 million people deserve better governance and a better life. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail - only $35 a year! http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/
