DATE=10/15/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDONESIA / POL (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-255059
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: As the Indonesian Assembly debates whether
to accept or reject a key accountability speech
given by President B-J Habibie Thursday,
protesters and police clashed for the second day
in a row on roads leading to the national
assembly building. Patricia Nunan reports from
the capital, Jakarta.
Text: Rejection of President Habibie's
accountability speech came flooding in Friday. A
spokesman for the head of the National Awakening
Party -- Abdurraham Wahid -- describes the speech
as "far away from reality." Opposition leader
Megawati Sukarnoputri also said the speech should
be rejected.
Both Ms. Megawati and Mr. Wahid are rival
candidates to Mr. Habibie in the presidential
election scheduled for Wednesday.
Their sentiments were echoed by an editorial in
The "Jakarta Post" which said the president's
assertions he ushered in a new era of political
reform were nothing more than "deceitful
grandstanding."
Analysts say the accountability speech was Mr.
Habibie's last chance to garner political support
within the assembly before it chooses a new
Indonesian president, next week.
Despite early efforts at political reform, the
president has become unpopular because of
Indonesia's continuing economic problems,
outbreaks of violence across the nation and the
recent crisis in East Timor.
President Habibie came to power in May 1998,
after student protests helped force his one-time
mentor, President Suharto from office after 32
years.
Critics also blame Mr. Habibie for the lack of
results in the on-going investigation into the
billions of dollars Mr. Suharto is alleged to
have embezzled during his rule.
The 700-member national assembly -- which opened
formal debate on the president's speech Friday --
will vote over the weekend. If it rejects the
speech outright, analysts say Mr. Habibie stands
little chance to be elected president by the in
Wednesday's ballot.
// SOUND OF PROTESTS, IN AND UNDER//
Meanwhile, protesters attempting to sway the
national assembly to reject Mr. Habibie clashed
for the second day in a row with police.
Confrontations which began Thursday -- hours
before President Habibie was to speak --
continued into Friday morning, when a car and
three motorcycles were set on fire.
Activists hurled rocks and some threw Molotov
cocktails. Witnesses say nearly a dozen people
were injured, when police fired water cannons,
tear gas and rubber bullets to dispel protesters.
About 40 thousand Indonesian police have been
posted in the capital to handle security for the
presidential election. Analysts say that
widespread unrest could erupt if Ms. Megawati --
who won the majority of the popular vote in
June's parliament election -- fails to win the
presidency. (signed)
NEB/PN/GC/ wd
15-Oct-1999 07:00 AM EDT (15-Oct-1999 1100 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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