Marianne Kearney, Jakarta – As 50,000 supporters of President Abdurrahman Wahid ran amok in Surabaya, burning Golkar buildings and the houses of rival Muslim leaders, their alarmed followers in the Indonesian Parliament last night called unexpectedly on the President to declare a civil emergency in the province.
In response, the President told them that the riots were the price they had to pay for democracy. At a press conference at the Merdeka Palace last night, he told: "All of this actually serves as a bitter lesson for all of us, and it should not continue. "This is the price we have to pay for the continuing process of democracy."
The attacks on Golkar officers led party chief Akbar Tanjung to seek some accommodation with the President. Both of them announced last night that Golkar would not support any moves for an earlier impeachment trial.
Chief Security Minister Susilo Bambang Yudhuyuno had earlier ruled out imposing emergency law in East Java. The President, he said, had promised to "do something to put order into the political expression in East Java".
The minister also chastised the legislators for trying to speed up an impeachment process without giving the President time to defend himself, leading to "excessive political expressions" by his supporters.
The call from the politicians for emergency law in East Java as they found themselves under physical attack is an ironic twist, coming just days after Mr Abdurrahman was condemned for trying to declare martial law before last week's crucial Parliament meeting to censure him over two corruption scandals.
Leading yesterday's charge for tougher police action in East Java was National Mandate Party (PAN) legislator Djoko Susilo, whose party boss Amien Rais is spearheading moves to oust Mr Abdurrahman speedily.
Mr Djoko told The Straits Times that a parliamentary commission had called on Defence Minister Mohammad Mahfud to seek emergency law in East Java. "If they can't prevent the mob from spreading out all over East Java, and spreading to central Java, then this country is in a terrible situation," he warned.
A civil emergency would place security for East Java in the hands of the governor and regional police chief, suspending civil rights, such as freedom of assembly.
According to local news reports, police were forced yesterday to fire warning shots and teargas to calm 50,000 frenzied demonstrators in Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city. The President's supporters took over the local parliament building, burnt the Golkar office and threatened Golkar cadres with knives and sickles.
Mr Djoko said he was concerned with reports that the mob was attacking not just Golkar buildings, but also buildings owned by Muhammadiyah, with two Muhammadiyah universities destroyed and the home of the East Java Muhammadiyah leader attacked.
Muhammadiyah is the second-largest Muslim organisation, after Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), and was headed by Mr Amien Rais before he became People's Consultative Assembly Speaker.
However, Mr Choirul Anam, a local leader of Mr Abdurrahman's Nation Awakening Party (PKB), rejected the legislators' claims that the mobs were out of control, threatening to spread anarchy.
"It's not a mob. This is people power. The people are not stupid. They know the leaders are out of control," he said, pointing out that the violence was directed against Golkar.
"If the elite can compromise, can meet and can think, then I think, it can be controlled. Especially if Mr Amien doesn't gossip any more," Mr Choirul said. "These demonstrations are the fault of Parliament, not Gus Dur," he added.