Violence, Military Clout Test Wahid's Young Gov't Fri, 4 Feb 2000 10:01:21 -0500 Via NY Transfer News * All the News That Doesn't Fit source - Joyo@aol.com INDONESIA: Violence, Military Clout Test Wahid's Young Gov't JAKARTA, Feb 2 (IPS) - President Abdurrahman Wahid is well-known for his hearty sense of humor, but the continued violence in parts of Indonesia and the latest stand-off with the military over East Timor is bound to test even his good nature. In the last few weeks, fears of a coup d'etat have been in the air, prompting key military officials to pledge allegiance to the elected civilian government, which took office in October. But such talk continued this week after two inquiries -- one by a local commission and another by the United Nations -- concluded that six generals including former armed forces chief Gen Wiranto -- should be investigated for the orgy of violence by pro-Indonesian militia in East Timor last year. More than 250 people in the territory of less than 400,000 people are believed to have died in the violence in the weeks after East Timor's Aug 30 UN-supervised ballot. In London, Wahid said he would ask for Wiranto's resignation allow a full investigation, and possibly prosecution, for what Monday's report by the commission called his failure to stop the post-ballot violence. ''No such thing,'' Wahid said of talk of a coup, saying he ''respected'' Wiranto. But in Jakarta, Wiranto -- whom Wahid removed as armed forces chief and named political affairs and security minister instead -- said he would ''fight to reveal the truth'' and called the report by Indonesia's Commssion of Inquiry into Human Rights Violations (KPP HAM) biased. For one, he told reporters, the report never noted the positive things security forces did. Commission officials said Wiranto had committed offenses of ''omission'', knowing and seeing the mayhem but not really working to end them. This is fast shaping up to be the latest test of the constitutional, civilian government, in a country where the military has historically played a visible political role, one in fact still listed in the Constitution. Foreign governments have also been watching the situation, with many expressing support for the Wahid government's reforms at a critical juncture in the country's transition from authoritarianism. Wahid is due back in Indonesia on Feb 13. Many here were relieved at the pledges to constitutional authority by other military officers and Wiranto -- who had been floated as a presidential candidate last year -- is no longer in the active service. Still, unlike the early days of Wahid's presidency when more people were more willing to give him time to heal Indonesia's wounds, now some critics are less patient. Violence and hundreds of deaths continue to be reported in places like Ambon and Manado, even as the country continues to deal with the foreign debt burden and other effects of the economic crisis. Provinces like Aceh in northern Sumatra continue to lobby for a referendum, East Timor style, as have Irian Jaya and Riau provinces. Dubbing his Cabinet one of 'national unity', Wahid's priority has been to cement national cohesiveness under threat of disintegration while balancing different forces in his coalition government. But sceptics say that in his effort to include everybody -- he has made a point of naming officials from Indonesia's far-flung provinces -- the resulting mix of people was not necessarily the most effective, or most qualified, one. ''The president appointed a minister not mainly because of his or her capability, but because he or she represents a certain group or force in the community,'' said professor Bagir Manan, a law expert at the Bandung-based Padjadjaran University. ''This weight (on unity rathern than qualifications) has made the Cabinet's performance not encouraging.'' The economy, crippled by the 1997 economic crisis, has yet to recover fully. The rupiah's exchange value has been fluctuating around 7,000 against the dollar and remains volatile and the weight of the foreign debt will severely shape the economic outlook for years to come. While the Wahid government has been lauded for steps like the release of political prisoners and giving provinces more autonomy, it has had difficulty settling thorny questions like those affecting former president Suharto. The Attorney General's office is unable to drag Suharto into court for lack of requirements and evidence of ill-gotten wealth or human rights violations. In international diplomacy, Wahid is acknowledged to have had better success in inviting investments from Singapore, whose ties with the country under his predecessor Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie had soured. ''At least we are seeing signs of the return of international confidence on Indonesia's economy,'' economist Sri Mulyani said. For now, however, talk continues about how the military is reportedly unhappy with Wahid, who has broken with past tradition in his appointments affecting the armed forces, for instance, by putting a navy man instead of someone from the army, as military chief. Since the establishment of Indonesian military, the post of military chief has always been allocated to generals from the army which the state seemed to trust more than other branches of the armed forces. Asked about talk of plots to topple Wahid, Muslim scholar Nurcholish Majid said that despite disappointments, it would be foolish to set aside a duly elected government that represents the first such government in some four decades. Said Majid: ''If Wahid is toppled down and replaced with new one just because we are 'disappointed', none of us will be safe. There is too much at stake.'' (END/IPS/ap-ip/ky-js/js/00) ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytpac-02.04.00-10:01:18-10662