Indonesia Begins Hearing on Wahid Ouster

The People’s Consultative Assembly started an impeachment hearing today, less than an hour after President Abdurrahman Wahid accused lawmakers of treason and announced that he would boycott proceedings against him.

The hearing at the heavily guarded legislature got underway as Wahid’s minority National Awakening Party and some other small pro-Wahid groups said they also would not participate.

The assembly’s chairman, Amien Rais, has demanded that Wahid appear before it on Monday to defend his administration’s troubled record and address allegations of corruption and incompetence.

“I will not attend this illegal meeting,” the president said in a nationally televised news conference. “This is an act of treason,” he said.

Wahid’s refusal to take part in the assembly’s session sets the stage for a showdown with the 700-member body, which could oust him within days.

Lawmakers said they would proceed with or without Wahid’s cooperation.

“If he does not show up, we could terminate his presidency by Monday evening,” said one prominent legislator, Alvin Lie.

Taking questions from reporters, Wahid refrained from restating earlier threats to declare a state of emergency and close down the assembly--a move opposed by the military.

“But I have many options,” he said. “I won’t tell what I will do. But I will do something” by July 31.

Wahid predicted that there would be a violent reaction to any move to impeach him, saying he enjoyed wide support among the people.

“Don’t blame me if the crowd takes care of everything by themselves,” he said, adding that he would urge his supporters to refrain from resorting to violence.

Political party chiefs decided to hold the special session 11 days ahead of schedule despite Wahid’s threat to close down the assembly and rule by emergency decree.

The military, which opposes Wahid’s emergency plan, said thousands of police and troops would protect the hearing against possible unrest by Wahid supporters.