LAKSAMANA.Net, January 8, 2003 06:05 PM
Anti-Mega Movement: Same Old Faces?
Laksamana.Net - Amid the increasing street demonstrations in several cities staged
by various groups in protest against the price hikes of fuel, electricity and telephone,
politicians from across the range of parties have joined forces with the extra-
parliamentary forces in a bid to destabilize President Megawati Sukarnoputri.
The establishment of a political caucus Monday (6/1/03) saw Ali Masykur Musa of the
National Mandate Party (PAN) take the helm, while Megawati's own Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) had Meilono Suwondo, Haryanto Taslam and
Julius Usman joining the ranks.
Golkar, which has suffered serious damage following the involvement of chairman
Akbar Tanjung in a corruption case, saw Marwah Daud Ibrahim take up the cudgels
against government.
The involvement of Suwondo suggests that businessman Arifin Panigoro and his
supporters, popularly known as the Jenggala group, are starting to distance
themselves from Megawati.
A source from the nationalist wing of PDI-P says Panigoro and Peoples Consultative
Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais have reached agreement to join forces with the
frustrated Chairman of the National Planning Agency (Bappenas), Kwik Kian Gie.
The aims of the group remain unclear. A statement by Muhaimin Iskandar, a deputy
chairman of the House from the National Awakening Party (PKB), gave the impression
that there are two main targets. "The caucus is expected to channel the spirit in and
outside parliament. The hikes have provided the momentum for these people to move,"
said the statement.
"If the street rallies becomes stronger," added Muhaimin, "the caucus can be much
stronger too. But if the rallies are just sporadic, it could be nothing."
Muhaimin's statement suggests that despite the intensive maneuvers from the
dissatisfied forces to bring down Megawati, the caucus apparently is prepared to
anticipate the possibility of a political vacuum occurring. The theory goes that if the
parliament and government are discredited by the protests, pretty well every politician
would be in the same boat, discredited in the eyes of the people.
An alarm bell was voiced by Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono after the cabinet meeting Monday (6/1/03). He said that
in the run-up to the 2004 general election, there was the possibility that radical
political groups would try to stir up the masses.
This movement, added Yudhoyono, was aimed at disturbing the continuity of the
government, political stability, and the continuing democratic process. He did not
identify the groups.
Yudhoyono's picture of radical groups working to erode political power by gnawing
away at grassroots sentiments has been a common factor in Indonesian politics since
the fall of Suharto in 1998.
According to a document used by the inner circle of Abdurrahman Wahid to map out
the pro-status quo circle when he was still president, former four-star general Wiranto,
former Suharto-era Finance Minister Fuad Bawazier, and former student activist
Hariman Siregar were the leading players in rallying anti-Wahid political forces.
The document records a meeting held on 10 May 2000 at the Mercure Hotel, for
instance, attended by Wiranto, former Kostrad Commander Djaja Suparman, former
Jakarta Regional Military Command and now Armed Force Spokesman Syafrie
Sjamsuddin.
Others at the meeting included former Strategic Intelligence Chief (BIA) Maj.Gen.
Zacky Anwar Makarim, Fuad Bawazier, and Siregar, Eggy Sudjana, a member of B.J.
Habibie's group, Habib Rizieq from the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), and other
right-wing activists.
The meeting agreed to create separatist movements across the country and to
penetrate and provoke the student movement, which was trying to have Suharto
dragged to court.
A meeting the following day at the Borobudur Hotel was attended by Suparman,
Zacky Anwar Makarim, Sudjana, NGO activists Amir Husin Daulay, Beathor Suryadi
and representatives of other radical Muslim groups.
The result of this meeting was also to agree to penetrate and provoke the student
movement in demonstrations planned for May 12 outside Suharto's residence. It also
agreed to supply arms to the Laskar Jihad forces which had left for Maluku.
The meeting also agreed to strive to create violence between civilian groups, between
the military and police, and between religious leaders.
There was also agreement to work to create chaos in Papua and Aceh.
In a meeting held at Hariman Siregar's Baruna Clinic at Jl Cikini Raya, Central
Jakarta, on 17 May 2000, those attending included Wiranto, Sjafrie Sjamsuddin,
Adam Damiri, Hariman Siregar, and Panda Nababan from PDI-P and politicians close
to Megawati's husband Taufik Kiemas.
This meeting also agreed to work to create conflict across the board. The printing and
circulation of fake money was to be continued to further damage the economic
condition, while at the same time providing a means of financing provocation.
A meeting on 26 May 2000, held at the Shangri La hotel, was attended by Wiranto,
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Djaja Suparman, Zacky Anwar Makarim, Sulaiman from
Strategic Intelligence (BAIS), Hariman Siregar, Fuad Bawazier, Eggy Sudjana, and
Achmad Sumargono from the Indonesian Committee for World Muslim Solidarity
(KISDI), a group close to Suharto son- in-law Lt. Gen. Prabowo Subianto.
The result of the meeting: Wiranto and Djaja Suparman agreed to spearhead a purge
of the pro-Wahid faction in the military with the silent backing of Tyasno Sudarto, who
at the time was still playing a double game between Wahid and Megawati.
The plan was to provoke anarchic actions by the student movement so as to create a
bad image in eyes of the people of Wahid and the security authorities.
Wiranto, Hariman Siregar and Fuad Bawazier were involved in every moment in the
preparations to stage street demonstrations or set up covert operations to destabilize
the political situation.
Whether these political players still want to play a role in the threatened mass
demonstrations over the next few days is not yet known but reports have it that
Hariman Siregar has been very active over the last few months to rally support among
the various student groups in building an alliance against Megawati.
Hariman was jailed in 1974 for leading University of Indonesia student demonstrations
that ended in violence.
In detention he met B.J. Habibie's younger brother Fanny, who helped him get out of
jail, persuaded the authorities that Hariman should be allowed to finish his studies,
and then set him up in the Baruna Medical Center, a clinic providing services mainly
to seamen and their families.
Fanny later served as chairman of his brother's re-election campaign. Hariman was
pulled into the cause, allegedly helping organize pro-Habibie demonstrations and
‘black arts' events in support of the Habibie campaign, using his strong links with student
groups.
Coordinating Minister Yudhoyono, apparently having put his role as a schemer behind
him, summed up the situation when he said that "perhaps there are those suffering
from post-power syndrome, dissatisfied groups, radical streams which are not
comfortable with the policy of the existing government."
Since the Bali terrorist attack the level of cooperation between Megawati and
Yudhoyono seems more solid, and analysts agree that he is totally loyal and working
fully to protect the President.
Yudhoyono's use of the term post-power syndrome suggests he is now distant from
those, including military elements, who continue to struggle for a renewal of a
Suharto-style government.
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