Jakarta – A large number of President Abdurrahman Wahids loyalists left East Java for Jakarta yesterday as their rivals mounted protests to demand the resignation of the national leader.
Hundreds of Wahids supporters, who admitted to come from several cities in East Java, such as Madiun, Tulung Agung, and Nganjuk, flooded train stations in the provinces capital of Surabaya, insisting to depart for Jakarta right away.
Brandishing rod rattans, they then jumped aboard the Gaya Baru train, an economy-class wagon that was scheduled to depart for Jakarta at 1:30. p.m. from Semut railway station in Surabaya. Hundreds of others had also left at five in the evening, from the Pasar Turi railway station in Surabaya to add to the previous batch.
Imam Ghozali Aro, a local Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) youth organization (Ansor) official, said Wahids supporters have pledged to guard the president under any circumstances.
The departure of NU members followed yesterdays huge anti-Wahid protest at the presidential office. Thousands of students from the Student Executive Board (BEM) yesterday besieged the state palace and the presidential palace to put more pressure on Wahid to resign.
Aro said East Javas NU chapter did not order them to go to Jakarta. He also denied that they were members of NUs security force wing of Banser. Aro said their departure was made under their own conscience to defend Wahid from his opponents, who demanded his resignation.
However, he warned that the people who were heading to Jakarta, were not just common people. He said that they were special people who would guard the pro-Wahid contingents acts to defend the president.
One thing that has to be made clear is that they are special people. They are people who will guard the loyal defenders of Gus Dur. So they are ready to face any circumstances that may occur, Aro reminded, employing Wahids nickname.
East Java is Wahids most devoted region, which is the main stronghold of NU, the nations biggest Muslim organization. Wahid once led the NU until he became president in 1999.
Wahid himself is the son of Hasyim Ashari, NUs founding father. He was born in the city of Jombang, 200 kilometers west of Surabaya. Before elected as Indonesias fourth president, Abdurrahman Wahid led NU for quite a long tenure.