Security forces fired rubber bullets and warning shots in President Abdurrahman Wahid's home province of east Java, where he is revered as a Muslim holy man. Wahid, who has warned that his ouster could trigger national disintegration, condemned the mayhem. In Jakarta, his former ally and now main rival, Vice President Megawati, positioned herself for the top job.
Parliament is to vote on the next step toward impeachment today.
Since last year, Megawati has remained silent about Wahid's leadership, which has been dogged by erratic policy-making, bloody ethnic battles across Indonesia, and economic mismanagement. But it seemed clear she is now ready to grab the presidency after spurning an offer last week to share power with Wahid. All his cards have been played. Parliament will vote today to ask the People's Consultative Assembly, the nation's highest legislative body, to hold a special session and impeach Wahid over allegations of corruption and incompetence, probably by August. At a meeting chaired by Megawati on Tuesday, her Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle decided to endorse the impeachment motion.