LAKSAMANA.Net, May 31, 2004 12:05 AM
Review - Politics: Wiranto Shifts Gear
Laksamana.Net - National Police chief Gen. Dai Bachtiar warned Friday that fugitive
terrorists linked to the 2002 Bali bombings could launch attacks ahead of the polls.
Security was tightened across the country on Saturday (29/504), with nearly 170,000
police on alert amid fears terrorists could launch attacks during the July 5 presidential
election, police said. The police force is 250,000 strong.
Presidential candidate and retired general Wiranto's strong stance on security and
counter-terrorism may work in his favor. He visited Singapore on Friday (28/504), his
first time abroad since a human rights tribunal in East Timor issued an arrest warrant
against him on May 10.
The indictment charged him with command responsibility for murder, deportation and
persecution committed in the context of a widespread and systematic attack on the
civilian population in East Timor in 1999.
Wiranto also met East Timor President Xanana Gusmao in Bali on Saturday for an
"informal meeting" as Muladi, a member of Wiranto's campaign team, described it.
They discussed human rights violations before and after East Timorese voted to
separate from Indonesia in 1999.
"It's a talk between two best friends who once fought (one another) due to state
duties. I and Pak Xanana often met in the mountains, we hunted one another,”
Wiranto told reporters before leaving for the meeting. "It was something inevitable
because we did that as a matter of state duties."
The closed door meeting went ahead despite strong opposition from Jose
Ramos-Horta, East Timor's Senior Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and
Cooperation.
Accompanying Wiranto were former Justice Minister Muladi and retired generals
Suaidi Marasabessy and Zacky Anwar Makarim as well as lawyer Juanda Saputra.
According to Muladi, Wiranto "wants a reconciliation.".
Although the allegations over East Timor remain unproven, some say they may cause
friction in relations between the US and Jakarta if Wiranto becomes president. US
Ambassador Ralph Boyce, however, has said Washington could work with Wiranto.
'We can work with anybody that comes out of a free election process,' he said last
month.
Megawati Raps "Leaping Squirrels"
President Megawati Sukarnoputri, in a meeting with General Elections Commission
(KPU) members on Thursday, returned to an earlier source of ire, when complaining
that former ministers had abandoned the Cabinet and state duties for their political
interests.
In the coming July 5 presidential election, Megawati is being challenged by three
former ministers, former Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security Affairs Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, former Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla
and former Communications Minister Agum Gumelar plus Vice President Hamzah
Haz.
"If a minister joins the presidential race, then what we experience today will recur. The
ministers just leave the Cabinet without finishing their duties," Megawati was quoted
as saying by KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti.
Earlier this month Megawati expressed disappointment with these ministers, dubbing
them "leaping squirrels"
She was criticized for the remarks by local political observers, who said that even
without the resignation of some ministers, her Cabinet had not worked effectively and,
in any case, it was a minister's right to resign from the Cabinet.
"I raise this issue not because I am the incumbent president, but such a matter
should not happen again," Megawati warned.
Sidney Jones in Hot Water
The government is preparing to expel the Jakarta representative of the International
Crisis Group, Sidney Jones, after she wrote a series of reports critical of the country's
security policies, the Brussels-based organization said Friday (28/504).
Jones, an American, has established herself as a leading analyst on terrorism and
political conflict in Indonesia, especially on the Jemaah Islamiyah terrorist network
and conflict in the separatist province of Aceh.
Retired three-star general, A.M. Hendropriyono, the State Intelligence Agency (BIN)
chief, on Thursday told local media that her work permit would not be extended,
claiming she had tarnished the country's image.
"Sidney Jones is working here with a human rights watchdog and has published or
sent her reports abroad for money. Not all of her reports are true," Hendropriyono said
after a Cabinet meeting.
The public criticism prompted Jones to issue a statement Wednesday (27/504)
complaining about her treatment.
Jones conceded the Ministry had told her it had received a complaint but it could not
say who made it or what it was about. “How can we answer charges when the
charges are made in secret?" she said.
Jones said immigration officials told her that she could not remain in the country
beyond June 10 unless she received a new work permit.
"I don't think the accuracy of our reports is the real issue here. I think there's another
issue that has not been explained to us that might have offended BIN," she said.
BIN is mandated by Presidential Instruction No. 5/2002 to coordinate all intelligence
activities. It has the authority to review foreigners' work permits.
ICG has been in Indonesia since 2000. The Jakarta office is one of 19 ICG field offices
that produces analyses of conflict around the world and has produced reports on
Aceh, Papua, Maluku, Poso, police and military reform, decentralization and
terrorism.
ICG papers on Indonesia's terrorist threat have urged the government not to boost
BIN's counter terrorism activities but to leave these matters up to the police. One past
paper on the Jemaah Islamiyah, blamed for the Bali blasts of October 2002 and other
terrorist acts, suggested that some JI members had close contacts with BIN.
Separately, Bachtiar said police were gathering more incriminating evidence to charge
the NGOs and their activists with provoking the people, causing public disturbance
and sowing hatred against the government.
"If it is proven they have violated the law, we will take legal action against them," he
said, adding that the NGOs could be banned from operating in Indonesia and its
foreign representatives could be sent home.
Former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans, the current head of ICG, has said
the group would welcome discussion of any complaints about its reports but warned
on Wednesday that any move to expel Jones would damage the reputation of
Indonesia more than that of the ICG.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa said he believed no final decision had
been made about whether to allow Jones to remain in Indonesia. "It's a clear case of
them trying to create a crisis out of nothing," he said. "It's a classic case of Miss
Sidney Jones trying to create a martyr out of herself."
In December 2001 Jakarta refused to extend the work permit of Lindsay Murdoch,
correspondent for several Australian newspapers, who was also criticized by the
government over his stories from Aceh.
Wahid Goes to Court
Former President Abdurrahman Wahid, 65, filed a civil suit Monday (25/504) against
election officials, the Health Ministry and the Indonesian doctors' association for Rp1
trillion ($110 million). Wahid is suing the General Elections Commission (KPU) over a
ruling that cost him the opportunity to enter the race for the presidency.
KPU barred him from running on medical grounds under a law adopted last year that
requires all presidential candidates to be mentally and physically fit.
"He is incredibly productive and meets hundreds of people a week so he is capable of
running for president,'' his lawyer Ikhsan Abdullah argued. "They (the KPU) are being
discriminatory and have violated the laws.''
The National Awakening Party (PKB) and Wahid have also filed a complaint with the
Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and the Election Supervisory Committee
(Panwaslu) in a bid to annul the KPU regulation.
Differences over ways to handle complaints filed by Wahid have soured relations
between the Panwaslu and the KPU.
Article 120 of Law No. 12/2003 on general elections stipulates that Panwaslu is set
up by the KPU, giving the commission the ultimate authority to dissolve the
committee.
Panwaslu chairman Komaruddin Hidayat on Wednesday alleged the KPU had no
intention of resolving the legal dispute over Wahid.
PKB on Thursday sought assistance from the National Commission on Human Rights
(Komnas HAM) over the imbroglio over Wahid’s candidacy.
Party leader Alwi Shihab, accompanied by PKB deputy chairman Mahfud MD and
lawyer Ikhsan Abdullah, met with commission chairman Abdul Hakim Garuda
Nusantara and his deputy, Zoemrotin K. Susilo.
The PKB leaders also questioned Komnas HAM's stance on the party's report filed
with it against KPU Decree No. 36/2004 that requires all presidential and vice
presidential candidates to pass a medical examination, which the party says is
discriminatory. Nusantara said Komnas HAM was concerned about the dispute.
"The regulation looks fine but the methods to examine the candidates' physical and
mental health and the results have violated the civil and political rights of citizens," he
said. "However, we cannot intervene in the political affairs of the KPU," he warned.
Although it has officially thrown its weight behind Salahuddin Wahid and his running
mate Golkar Party's presidential candidate Gen. (ret) Wiranto, PKB had vowed to
continue its efforts to help Wahid join the race.
However, Panwaslu on Friday rejected the demand to include Wahid's name in the
roster of eligible candidates.
"The authority to include the eligible candidates rests with the KPU. Panwaslu has no
such mandate," committee member Masyhudi said, quoting Law No. 23/2003 on
presidential elections.
Formal Coalition
The final blow against Wahid prompted PKB to formalize its alliance with Golkar. Both
parties signed a coalition agreement on Friday (28/504).
The chairmen of the two parties signed the accord - Akbar Tanjung for Golkar and Alwi
Shihab for PKB.
"This coalition will unite visions, missions, and programs in the executive and the
legislative branches and state institutions at the national level," stated the declaration.
"We will unite actions to help Golkar's presidential and vice presidential pairing
Wiranto and Solahuddin Wahid, who are fully supported by PKB, win the presidential
election," the declaration said.
Golkar won 24 million votes in the April 5 legislative election, and PKB garnered 12
million.
Tanjung said he was happy with the written agreement supporting the
Wiranto-Solahuddin pairing and that Abdurrahman Wahid had also given his written
support. Shihab expressed the hope that the coalition would result in long-lasting and
solid cooperation.
However, the provincial chairman of PKB in Medan, North Sumatra complained that
the coalition was not in line with the agreement reached in a national working
meeting.
Nonetheless, thirty provincial chapters of the PKB pledged Saturday (29/5/04) to
support the decision of the party's central executive board to endorse Wiranto for
president. Executive board member Mahfud M.D. said the support was given only after
provincial chapters were allowed to vent criticism over the executive board's decision.
Muslim Support for Megawati
On Wednesday, 120 NU ulema from Java and Sumatra pledged their support for
Megawati Sukarnoputri and Hasyim Muzadi in the upcoming election.
Antara reported from Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) on Friday (28/5/04) that all
regional and branch leaders of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) and leaders of 60 Islamic
boarding schools (pesantren) in the province had agreed to support the pairing.
"The agreement to support the Megawati-Hasyim pairing is the individual decision of
each NU leader, but the leaders of the 60 pesantren represent their institutions,"
provincial NU chairman Syaiful Muslim said. Earlier reports said that virtually all NU
leaders in East Java had also thrown their support behind the pair.
PKB has been in a difficult situation after the KPU disqualified its main candidate, but
some 80% of the 12 million votes the party won in the legislative election came from
East Java.
Small Parties Back Amien-Siswono
Six political parties announced their support Friday (28/5/04) for the pair of Amien
Rais and Siswono Yudohusodo, nominated by the National Mandate Party (PAN) to
contest the upcoming presidential election.
The six new parties failed to meet the electoral threshold in the legislative election to
nominate their own presidential candidates. Despite their poor performance, the new
parties apparently believe their support will help the duo win.
Support from the Marhaenisme Indonesian National Party (PNI Marhaenisme), Social
Democratic Labor Party (PBSD), Freedom Bull National Party (PNBK), Indonesian
Democratic Vanguard Party (PPDI), Indonesian Unity Party (PSI) and Reform Star
Party (PBR) is expected to increase the estimated vote tally for Rais and Yudohusodo
to a possible 17 million.
Rais, the PAN leader, will also rely on support from Muhammadiyah, the country's
second largest Muslim organization. He once chaired the organization that claims it
has 30 million followers.
PNBK leader Eros Djarot said that, among many reasons for supporting Amien and
Siswono, was the fact that both were reform-minded compared to the other four
contenders for the presidency.
Suspect blows whistle on Ba'asyir
A court in Australia heard Monday (24/5/04) that Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir
was in charge of the Southeast Asian terror group Jemaah Islamiyah. British-born
terror suspect Jack Roche, on trial for plotting to blow up the Israeli Embassy in
Canberra, told Australian Federal Police that he believed Hambali was below Ba'asyir
in the Jemaah Islamiyah hierarchy.
"Ultimately, he's the one who makes decisions regarding the structure of JI in
Southeast Asia," Roche said in videotaped interviews with police, excerpts of which
were shown in Perth District Court.
Ba'asyir, who is currently is detention in Indonesia, has previously denied being the
leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, and says he has no links to terrorism. . He was
re-arrested in April on the day he finished serving an 18-month prison term for minor
immigration offenses.
Police in Jakarta also say they have new evidence to prove he is the leader of Jemaah
Islamiyah. They claim Ba’asyir approved a string of terror attacks that included the
Bali bombings that killed 202 people in October 2002.
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