INDONESIA: ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTERS DEMAND THE OUSTER OF PRESIDENT ABDURRAHMAN WAHID

Record ID: 648045

  • Title: INDONESIA: ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTERS DEMAND THE OUSTER OF PRESIDENT ABDURRAHMAN WAHID
  • Date: 12th March 2001
  • Summary: JAKARTA, INDONESIA (MARCH 12, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV MUSLIM STUDENTS MARCHING ON STREET 0.05 2. TV STUDENTS HOLDING BANNER SAYING "OUST GUS DUR" 0.10 3. SLV/SV SECURITY OUTSIDE PALACE (2 SHOTS) 0.17 4. SV WAHID SUPPORTERS CARRYING EFFIGY OF AMIEN RAIS 0.22 5. MCU WAHID SUPPORTERS CHANTING 0.29 9. SLV/SV OF WAHID SUPPORTERS BURNING EFFIGIES OF RAIS AND PARLIAMENT SPEAKER AKBAR TANDJUNG (2 SHOTS) 0.46 10. LV OF ANTI-WAHID SUPPORTERS ARRIVING 0.51 11. SV STUDENTS WAVING FLAGS/POSTERS 0.57 12. SLV/SV OF STUDENTS DANCING/CHANTING "GUS DUR STEP DOWN" (2 SHOTS) 1.07 13. PAN OF PROTEST 1.16 14. MCU (Bahasa Indonesia) STUDENT LEADER, SAYING: "We want Gus Dur to resign immediately because the country is getting messier by the. Besides, Gus Dur seemed to have abandoned the people by leaving overseas all the time. And the economy is at its worst." 1.34 15. LV OF PRO- AND ANTI-WAHID PROTESTERS THROWING ROCKS/ WATER BOTTLES AT EACH OTHER (4 SHOTS) 1.57 16. SV MORE OF SCUFFLE 2.01 17. SLV PROTESTERS MOVING BACK 2.10 18. SV SECURITY BLOCKING STUDENTS 2.16 19. SV STUDENTS SURROUNDING EFFIGY OF WAHID 2.19 20. CU STUDENT HOLDING TOY GUN TO EFFIGY 2.24 21. CU OF EFFIGY 2.30 22. CU OF SIGN SAYING "GUS BUSTER" 2.34 23. SV STUDENTS POINTING TOY GUNS AT EFFIGY 2.38 24. SV/CU OF EFFIGY SET ON FIRE (3 SHOTS) 2.50 25. LV/SV OF CABINET MEETING (2 SHOTS) 3.00 26. MCU CHIEF SECURITY MINISTER SUSILO BAMBANG YUDHOYONO TALKING 3.05 27. MCU DEFENCE MINISTER MAHFUD M.D. 3.11 28. SV CHIEF ECONOMIC MINISTER RIZAL RAMLI 3.16 29. SV INDONESIAN PRESIDENT ABDURRAHMAN WAHID ENTERING ROOM WITH VICE PRESIDENT MEGAWATI SUKARNOPUTRI 3.27 30. MCU WAHID 3.30 31. SV OF CABINET MEETING 3.35 32. SV FOREIGN EXCHANGE COUNTER 3.38 33. CU BOARD WITH RUPIAH TO THE DOLLAR SIGN (2 SHOTS) 3.49 34. MCU/CU OF PEOPLE EXCHANGING CURRENCY (4 SHOTS) 4.01 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 27th March 2001 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: JAKARTA, INDONESIA
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Reuters ID: LVA360D1SZS97JT6UOXOO4P3BQCI
  • Story Text: Thousands of anti-government protesters have poured
    onto streets of the Indonesian capital Jakarta, demanding the
    ouster of President Abdurrahman Wahid who is under increasing
    political pressure over his erratic 16-month rule.



    More than 1,000 students gathered near the
    presidential palace on Monday (March 12), chanting "Gus Dur
    Step Down" -- referring to Wahid's nickname.

    Anti-government protesters came from various student
    groups in the capital, including Muslim students who were
    supporting Muslim political parties under Wahid's most
    critical opponents.

    A short distance away, some 500 Wahid supporters burned
    effigies of the president's main political foes, parliament
    speaker Akbar Tandjung and head of top legislature Amien Rais.

    They were wearing headbands saying "Wahid Okay" and
    "Wahid 2004" -- pointing to Wahid's constitutional end of
    term.

    The two groups shouted and at one point threw rocks and
    water bottles at each other.

    Security forces stood nearby but did not intervene.

    Anti-Wahid protesters demanded Wahid resign and also
    called for workers to strike in protest at the country's
    problems.

    "We want Gus Dur to resign immediately because the
    country is getting messier by the day. Besides, Gus Dur seemed
    to have abandoned the people by leaving overseas all the time.

    And the economy is at its worst," said one student leader.

    Anti-Wahid rallies have gathered momentum since
    parliament rebuked the Muslim cleric on February 1 for his
    links to two financial scandals.

    He has until May to respond to the censure, which could
    lead to his impeachment later this year.

    His credibility was further eroded by worsening economic
    conditions and savage ethnic clashes last month in Borneo
    where hundreds of people died.

    The violence occurred when Wahid was on an overseas trip
    to the Middle East and Africa.

    The violence and growing gloom about the giant country
    have battered the rupiah which hit its lowest point since two
    years ago.

    The rupiah has lost more than 25 percent of its value
    against the dollar in the past year, floundering past 11,000
    to the dollar on Monday amid mounting concerns about the
    country's political and economic outlook.

    It had not broken past 11,000 since September 24, 1998.

    The students were also calling for the government to
    drop plans to further hike fuel prices in April.

    The government raised fuel prices by 12 percent last
    October, triggering a series of street protests throughout the
    vast archipelago.

    Amid protests outside the palace, Wahid headed the
    cabinet meeting -- his first since returning from an overseas
    tour.

    The cabinet was expected to discuss the fuel price hike,
    security and economic concerns.

    Meanwhile, students outside set fire on an effigy of
    Wahid, signalling the president under fire from almost all
    aspects of his country.


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