 |
Indonesian President Considering Imposing State of Emergency
Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid is considering imposing a civil state of emergency nationwide if the House of Representatives (DPR) is adamant to its call for a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) which could impeach him.
"If parliament insists on an MPR special session to oust the president which will have adverse effects, there will be no alternative but to impose a civil state of emergency," presidential spokesman Adhi Massardi said at the presidential palace on Sunday.
Adhi quoting the president as saying that if the MPR special session was really held without a civil state of emergency, the security and political condition in the country would be difficult to control.
The president argued if the MPR special session was really held it would be difficult to predict or anticipate public reaction, such as in the case of the May 1998 riots.
Widespread riots engulfed several parts of the country in May 1998 because the security authorities failed to impose an "alert status".
The president expressed hope that the public, particularly social figures would do their best to solve the national problems.
Asked when exactly the president would impose a civil state of emergency, Adhi refused to elaborate.
Civil emergency is an emergency status one level below martial law.
The president believed both the National Defense Forces (TNI) and the National Police would agree to his plan to impose a civil state of emergency, Adhi was quoted by the Antara News Agency Monday as saying.
Army Chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto, however, said repeatedly that the military would never support Wahid's move to impose a civil state of emergency and dissolve the parliament because it will worsen the already bad-political situation.
Meanwhile, chief of the TNI Information Service Vice Marshal Graito Usodo was reluctant to comment on Wahid's statement, as he had to make a consultation on that issue first with the military leader.
"I have not got any confirmation on this matter. I will have to contact the military commander to check the report," he was quoted by Antara as saying.
Separately, the Team of Seven's chairman Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said the team has never agreed to the issuance of a decree on the imposition of a state of civil emergency and the dissolution of the DPR.
"After conducting a in-depth study of various aspects of the Constitution, legality and feasibility, the Team of Seven has recommended the president not to issue a decree," he said.
The Team of Seven was tasked by Wahid to seek a solution to the House-president rift.
Susilo, who is also Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs, said according to intelligence report, there was no any indication that the six regions will secede from Indonesia if Wahid has resigned.
In This Section
|