Backers of Indonesian President Riot Against Moves to Oust Him

Thousands of President Abdurrahman Wahid’s supporters rioted in East Java on Tuesday, setting two churches on fire as they protested parliamentary efforts to unseat him.

The beleaguered leader’s chances of hanging on to power continued to slip away as the political party led by Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri said it would reject a compromise with Wahid and vote against him today when parliament considers his fate.

Parliament is scheduled to decide whether to convene by August a special session of the People’s Consultative Assembly, the 700-member body that has the power to remove the president.

Talk of ousting the Muslim cleric began with allegations that he was involved in the theft of $4.1 million in government funds and had failed to report a $2-million aid donation from the sultan of Brunei. But now his removal from office hinges more on his erratic leadership style, reluctance to share power and neglect of Indonesia’s economic and social problems.

Wahid denies any wrongdoing and says a court should weigh the corruption charges before parliament acts.

He has threatened to save himself by declaring a state of emergency and imposing martial law, which would allow him to order the arrest of his political enemies. But seemingly accepting his fate, the president took no action Tuesday.

Wahid’s security chief, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, told the respected daily Kompas that the president had been on the verge of declaring martial law Monday but stopped short because of opposition from top generals.

“I myself, the military chief, the police chief were of one voice. . . . We would not support and openly disagreed with the issuance of an [emergency] decree,” Yudhoyono was quoted as saying.

Instead, Wahid issued an edict directing Yudhoyono, a retired three-star general, to restore order.

If the People’s Consultative Assembly votes to oust Wahid, Megawati will become president. Wahid has offered to share power with her while retaining substantial influence. Megawati has rejected the proposal.

It was unclear Tuesday whether the rioting by Wahid’s supporters was aimed at providing the president with an excuse to declare martial law or reflected genuine dissatisfaction. Many Indonesians revere Wahid because of his previous role as the leader of the world’s largest Muslim organization.

Wahid has predicted that there would be a “nationwide rebellion” if he was ousted. In recent months, thousands of his followers in his stronghold of East Java have pledged to fight to the death to keep him in office. His backers organized paramilitary training camps--then invited reporters to watch so-called death squads drill.

On Tuesday, Wahid’s supporters turned out to oppose any move to convene the People’s Consultative Assembly, which includes all 500 members of parliament. The protests turned ugly in the East Javan city of Pasuruan when demonstrators demanded the release of nearly two dozen people arrested the previous day for torching a police post, Megawati’s party offices and a mosque belonging to a rival Islamic group.

Police drove Tuesday’s crowd of about 5,000 away from government offices. The protesters then set more buildings afire, including the two churches.

“They threw Molotov bombs and rocks,” East Java Police Commissioner Djoko Poernomo said. “But luckily, people who live near the churches helped extinguish the fires.”

In the nearby city of Surabaya, police and soldiers fired warning shots in the air to disperse a pro-Wahid crowd that attempted to enter the East Javan legislature.

Thousands of the president’s backers, meanwhile, poured into Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, to take part in protests expected today outside the parliament building.

The presidential palace issued a statement late Tuesday calling for an end to the rioting.

“The president regrets and condemns the violence,” the statement said. “He sees the violence as an attempt to pit groups in society against one another.”