Djoko Tjiptono/Hendra & GB, Jakarta – On Tuesday, around 1000 students from several student and youth groups under the banner of the Joint Alliance Against The New Order rallied at the parliament complex in Senayan and then made their way to the head offices of the Golkar party. Their main banner depicted a banyan tree – Golkar's party symbol – smeared with red paint. They demanded the party be immediately disbursed.

The rally began at the University of Indonesia in Salemba where orations were held around noon Jakarta time. The speakers maintained that the people must push for the abolition of Golkar, headed by Speaker of the House of Representatives Akbar Tandjung. They brought several banners reading "Destroy the New Order", "Freedom" and "100% No New Order".

The Golkar Party dominated Indonesian politics under the authoritarian regime of former president Suharto and remains strong today – not only because it is the second largest faction in the House but because it's networks extend through the country's infrastructure – from the civil service, government to the military and trade.

The main groups involved in the demonstration are: the Indonesian Youth Struggle Forum (FPPI), Students' Action Front for Reform and Democracy (Famred), City Forum (Forkot), Joint Forum (Forbes), Pancasila Struggle Front, City Front and the Democratic National Students' League (LMND).

In addition, several smaller banners were hung around the Salemba campus: "Drag Suharto and Golkar to a People's Court" and "Total 'Reformasi' Means Abolishing The Golkar Party". Pamphlets were also distributed: "Golkar has blocked the push for reform" and "Watch out for New Order Rats who have infiltrated everywhere".

One of the rally coordinators, Masintih from the FPPI, said they were targeting Golkar because of its actions in the past. "All the problems happening at the moment are caused by the actions of Golkar in the past," he said adding that Golkar had been 'indoctrinating' other parties in the parliament. At the time of posting (3.10pm Jakarta time) the demonstration is still going ahead.

The action comes as the division between the President and the House becomes extreme. Last Thursday, the House voted to accept a report compiled by a special committee implicating the President in the misappropriation of around USD 5.8 million.

The parties are now intensely debating what to do next. Several are pushing for the convocation of a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly as a means to oust Wahid. However, the legal basis of the special committee report and the regulations governing the early convocation of the Assembly are unclear at present.

They also face another obstacle: a lively coalition of NGOs and student groups are seeking to shift the focus away from the scandals to what they say is the root of the country's problems. That is, the ast Timor