INDONESIA: PRESIDENT ABDURRAHMAN WAHID'S SUPPORTERS POUR INTO THE CAPITAL JAKARTA ON THE EVE OF A PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON HIS FUTURE

Record ID: 443030

  • Title: INDONESIA: PRESIDENT ABDURRAHMAN WAHID'S SUPPORTERS POUR INTO THE CAPITAL JAKARTA ON THE EVE OF A PARLIAMENTARY DEBATE ON HIS FUTURE
  • Date: 29th May 2001
  • Summary: (W3)PASURUAN, EAST JAVA, INDONESIA (MAY 29, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV/SLV BURNT TYRES ON STREET (2 SHOTS) 0.09 2. SV PRO-WAHID MOB ON STREET SHOUTING/HOLDING UP MACHETES 0.15 3. SLV PRO-WAHID MOB ON TRUCK 0.21 4. SLV MOB DESTROYING POLICE POST (2 SHOTS) 0.32 5. SLV/SV OF PROTESTANT CHURCH BURNING (5 SHOTS) 0.43 (W3)SURABAYA, EAST JAVA, INDONESIA (MAY 29, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 6. LV/SLV PROTESTERS OUTSIDE PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT (AUDIO OF GUNFIRE) (3 SHOTS) 1.10 (W3)GRESIK, EAST JAVA, INDONESIA (MAY 29, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 7. SLV OF ANTI-GOLKAR (FORMER RULING PARTY) PROTEST 1.19 8. SV PROTESTERS SHOUTING "DISSOLVE GOLKAR" 1.28 9. SLV/SV/MCU OF SECURITY OUTSIDE INDONESIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY-STRUGGLE (PDI-P) OFFICE (4 SHOTS) 1.52 (W3)JAKARTA, INDONESIA (MAY 29, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 10. SLV/SV OF PROTESTERS CHANTING "STOP SPECIAL SESSION" (4 SHOTS) 2.11 11. LV OF PROTESTERS SEATED 2.17 12. CU OF WAHID SUPPORTERS HOLDING FLAGS 2.22 13. ;LAS OF PROTESTER 2.28 14. MCU (Bahasa Indonesia) SUPPORTER FROM GRESIK SAYING: "Don't let the special session ever be held because Indonesia, especially the province of East Java, will end up in chaos" 2.47 15. PAN OF ARMED PERSONNEL CARRIERS LINED UP NEAR VENUE OF G-15 SUMMIT AND PARLIAMENT 2.59 16. SV/LAS TROOPS CLEANING APC (3 SHOTS) 3.16 17. SV WAHID MEETING WITH ALGERIAN DELEGATION OF G-15 SUMMIT/MEDIA (4 SHOTS) 3.35 18. MCU OF WAHID 3.39 19. SLV OF MEETING 3.49 20. SV SECURITY OUTSIDE INDONESIAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY-STRUGGLE (PDI-P) HEADQUARTERS 3.55 21. TV/SV VICE PRESIDENT MEGAWATI SUKARNOPUTRI ARRIVING FOR INTERNAL MEETING/SECURITY (2 SHOTS) 4.14 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 13th June 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PASURUAN/GRESIK/SURABAYA, EAST JAVA AND JAKARTA, INDONESIA
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Reuters ID: LVA7JLJRE245O6BKFX5CNNWXMPJL
  • Story Text: Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid's supporters
    have poured into the capital, Jakarta, as thousands more
    torched churches in his stronghold of East Java on the eve of
    a decisive parliamentary debate on his future.



    Violence broke in different parts of East Java on
    Tuesday (May 29) only a day after Wahid ordered his top
    security minister to enforce law and order.

    A 5,000-strong pro-Wahid mob torched two churches in the
    East Java town of Pasuruan after security forces forced them
    away from government buildings they were trying to attack.

    Police fired warning shots to disperse the crowds who
    responded by throwing fireworks and burning tyres on the
    streets.

    In the provincial capital Surabaya, police also fired
    warning shots to disperse 3,000 Wahid supporters as they tried
    to storm local parliament.

    Thousands of Wahid supporters in the town of Gresik also
    held a peaceful protest as members of the opposition parties
    went on full alert against possible attack.

    "We are on alert to avoid possible attack. So far we have
    seen no immediate threat," said Sutarman, head of security of
    PDI-P headquarters in Gresik.

    In Jakarta, almost 2,000 Wahid supporters held a protest
    around the national monument across from the presidential
    palace, calling for a stop to efforts to oust Wahid.

    "Don't let the special session ever be held because
    Indonesia, especially the province of East Java, will end up
    in chaos," said one supporter who had travelled from Gresik.

    The violence has underscored the risk of widespread
    bloodshed if parliament on Wednesday demands a special session
    of the top legislature to consider impeaching Wahid over his
    chaotic 19 month rule. Analysts and leading politicians
    consider a special session as unstoppable.

    On Monday (May 28) Wahid ordered his top security
    minister to enforce law and order, but so far it has only been
    his supporters who have been causing violence, drawing
    accusations he was using is a desperate gamble to stay in
    power.

    In a bid to head off efforts to dump him, Wahid last week
    offered Megawati effective control of government, but her
    aides have said she will spurn the move.

    Amid the deepening political crisis, Wahid was busy on
    Tuesday welcoming delegates to a summit of leaders from the
    G-15 group of developing nations just a few hundred metres
    from the sprawling parliament complex.

    The summit starts on Wednesday, the same day as
    parliament's special session to discuss Wahid's impeachment.

    On Tuesday, Megawati chaired a meeting of leaders of her
    Indonesian Democratic Party-Struggle (PDI-P) which decided to
    back the holding of an emergency parliamentary session.


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