Indonesia Sinks Deeper Into Crisis
A political crisis here deepened today as Indonesia waited for its enigmatic vice president to choose between a deal to share power with her beleaguered president or grab it all for herself.
President Abdurrahman Wahid reportedly extended until 10 a.m. a deadline for estranged Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri to say if she will accept his offer to make her head of government and him a figurehead leader.
The crisis is dragging Indonesia back to the brink of mass violence that has bedeviled the country’s riotous politics for much of its more than 50 years of independence.
But the streets of Jakarta, the capital, were quiet this morning, and there were no signs of unusual troop movements.
Megawati was scheduled to fly to East Java, the president’s political heartland, to inaugurate an orchid garden, but it was unclear whether she would go. She has kept silent about her views over Wahid’s latest offer.
The Muslim cleric made the offer during a Cabinet meeting Friday. The offer was seen as a last-ditch attempt to prevent parliament from recommending Wahid’s impeachment over his role in two graft scandals when it meets Wednesday.
The frail, 60-year-old Wahid, who was admitted to a hospital this morning for a checkup, has been censured twice by parliament.
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