Police Clash With Protesters in Indonesian Capital

Supporters and opponents of Indonesia’s president staged rival protests for a second day Tuesday, and police fired tear gas and beat students who threw rocks and gasoline bombs in the capital.

Clashes erupted outside the office of the former ruling Golkar Party, which wants to oust President Abdurrahman Wahid. Wahid is struggling to stay in power in the face of a series of crises and scandals.

Some police officers charged the crowd on motorcycles and ran over protesters who lighted bonfires. At least five badly beaten protesters were arrested in the melee. Police officers assaulted and threatened reporters and media crews covering the clash.

Many lawmakers want to impeach Wahid. The political turmoil has sent Indonesia’s stock market into a sharp fall, and the central bank has been forced to intervene repeatedly to prop up the battered currency.

“Our nation is falling apart economically and security-wise,” said Amien Rais, chairman of Indonesia’s top legislative body and one of Wahid’s harshest critics.

Wahid canceled all official appointments Tuesday. Aides said he was resting, but they denied that the 60-year-old leader, who is almost blind and has suffered several strokes, had been physically taxed by the ongoing threat to his 17-month-old presidency.