Suwardjono/Fitri & GB, Jakarta – In Indonesia, the appearance of leaked documents outlining high-level plots to promote the interests of certain groups is becoming a regular feature of the political wranglings of the President and his enemies. The latest documents to surface are arguably the most significant to date and detail a series of 14 meetings convened with the express aim of plunging Indonesia chaos in the lead up to last August's Annual Session of the Assembly and ousting the President.
The documents have surfaced at a time when the government is struggling to maintain security, particularly in the capital, Jakarta, and outlying provinces with a history of violent clashes, such as Aceh and Ambon. Moreover, there appears to be a concerted effort to destabilise the security situation through bombings, particularly at the Jakarta Stock Exchange last week which left 15 people dead. It is in this context that the appearance of the document is particularly significant.
In general, the 'usual suspects' are listed among those attending at various times a series of 14 meetings from May to July prior to the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly in August at several locations, including the Hotel Borobudur, Hotel Shangri-La and the Hotel Novus in Bogor, West Java.
According to the document, frequent attendees included, former Indonesian Armed Forces Commander in Chief under Suharto and Habibie, General Wiranto, former Army Strategic Reserves (Kostrad) Commander Lt.Gen Djaja Suparman, former chief of the Armed Forces Intelligence Agency, Lt. Gen (retired) Zacky A Makarim, and Jakarta Military Area commander Maj.Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin. The former three are heavily implicated in the systematic mass destruction of East Timor one year ago following the referendum on independence and continue to control inestimable but undeniably large factions of the army.
Apart from the military's top brass, other participants include prominent politicians such as Fuad Bawazier (National Mandate Party, PAN) and Priyo Budi Santoso, Amir Husein Daulay and Betor Surjadi of Golkar – the ruling 'party' under Suharto's authoritarian militarist regime.
A variety of figures from several 'civil' organisations also formed part of the plotting group. The document mentions the Habibie Centre, established by Suharto's presidential successor BJ Habibie as a kind of 'think tank', as the group's basis for building relations through the Center's considerable international networks.
Habib Rizieq of the Front for the Defense of Islam (FPI) – one of Indonesia's new hard line Islamic groups linked previously to elements of the military – was also prominent. Interestingly, the President ordered the detention of Rizieq, along with 'Tommy' Suharto, in connection with the JSX bombing but later claimed the statement to detain Rizieq was a mistake.
Also prominent in this category were Hariman Siregar, a leading figure of the 1966 youth movement, several figures linked to the Association of Muslim Students (HMI) such as Burzah Zarnubi, Eggi Sudjana of the Brotherhood of Muslim Indonesian Workers (PPPMI) and members of the Indonesian Committee for World Muslim Solidarity (KISDI).
Previously, the document only circulated in limited circles. Detik actually received the document from a Muslim cleric from the Front for the Defense of Islam (FPI). The FPI received it from the Malaysian Embassy. According to the source, the FPI received the document after the Malaysian Embassy was bombed because the Embassy was listed among bomb targets and, "the Malaysian Embassy wanted to clarify this because we are fellow Muslim countries," the source said.
The source admitted that the document also listed the Jakarta Stock Exchange as a target. Leader of the FPI, Habib Rizieq, also confirmed that the FPI had received the document from the Malaysian Embassy. "I assume the document was produced by the perpetrator of the bombing," said Habib. Habib was outraged that his name was listed, claiming it was pure slander.
Other bombing targets included the Hotel Indonesia, Istiqlal Mosque, Blok-M area, Attorney General's office, Cathedrals, Bina Graha presidential offices, Gambir Train Station, Atmajaya University, Trisakti University, Sarinah Shopping Centre, United States Embassy, Australian Embassy, Malaysian Embassy and buildings around 'Monas', the National Monument in the heart of Jakarta.
Regions outside Jakarta had also been prepared as battle grounds: Ujung Pandang (South Sulawesi), Purwokerto, Pekalongan Yogyakarta and Semarang (Central Java); Bandung, Cianjur, Tasikmalaya, and Garut, (West Java), Surabaya (East Java), Ambon (Malukus), Medan (North Sumatra), Lampung and Palembang (South Sumatra), and Bali
Besides creating chaos through bombings, the group also allegedly developed a comprehensive strategy which involved two overlapping strategies: fueling the fires of social, economic and political turmoil while pushing various agendas. In the end, they allegedly aimed to build support for turning the Annual Session into a Special Session to remove Wahid.
The first strategy of fueling the fires of social, economic and political turmoil would be ensured through: creating anarchy at anti-Suharto student demonstrations and portraying the student movement as 'communist', promoting Islamic issues (ironically referred to as the 'Politics No, Islam Yes' campaign), exacerbating frictions within and between factions in the police and military, printing false bank notes, sabotaging distribution of basic goods such as food and petroleum and feeding erroneous information through government channels.
Their second strategy, to promote an agenda which discredited the President and ultimately supported the convocation of a Special Session of the Assembly, also involved numerous tactics: pushing for the parliamentary investigation of cases concerning the President and his inner circles' use of funds from the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and from the Sultan of Brunei, fueling the fires beneath the 'interpellation' motion (when the President was called before the Assembly to account for the sacking of two Ministers), influencing the press to support the agenda, lobbying foreign parties (Libya is mentioned) to support the President's removal and even send terrorists to partake and approaching other parliamentary leaders such as the Speakers of the House and Assembly, Akbar Tanjung and Amien Rais respectively, to also support the plan.
With the exception of the lobbying activities and the fact that bombs were not exploded at most of the target areas, perhaps all of the above mentioned phenomena made headlines in the lead up to and during the Annual Session.
The document also claims that 2,000 provocateurs, including members of the Laskar Jihad returned from Ambon, had been trained and equipped. Molotov cocktails were prepared, snipers trained and members of the civilian paramilitary groups associated to the former militaristic regime (Pamswakarsa) recruited.
However, while the parliament was the site of daily demonstrations during the session, the situation did not deteriorate to the extent that other very recent convocations of the parliament have.
Naturally, several persons listed have denied the allegations within the document when contacted by Detik. "I never had any contact with Wiranto. Let alone go to a meeting and orchestrate to blow up bombs. The document was intended to give me a bad name," said Priyo Budi Santoso of Golkar.
Eggi Sudjana from the Indonesian Muslim Workers Brotherhood claimed he knew nothing about the document. He even said he hadn't read the article or been told about it. "We hate violence, let alone using bombs," he added.
Equally naturally, supporters of the President are quick to point to the uncanny correlation between the documents contents and reality before, during and after the Annual Session. Support is particularly evident within the National Awakening Party (PKB) nominally headed by the President.
Effendie of the PKB Choirie said the document was directly related to the recent string of bomb attacks. "Whether the document is real or false, reality has happened close to the concepts described in the document," he said.
Rodjil Ghufron also of the PKB told Detik that it was natural for those listed on to feel disappointed in the government, many had obtained and lost or never attained positions of power. "They're what you'd call disillusioned elements," he said assertively.
Clearly, the substance and truth of the document are unclear. It is also clear that the forces of destabilisation are growing stronger and the is Presient facing mounting domestic and international pressure to come up with the goods. He may have survived the Annual Session in tact, but he must soon find out who is seeking to unseat him and not rely on the rumour mill to keep his head above water.