JAKARTA, Indonesia — Thousands of President Abdurrahman Wahid's supporters rioted in East Java on Tuesday, setting two churches on fire as they protested parliamentary efforts to unseat him.
The beleaguered leader's chances of hanging on to power continued to slip away as the political party led by Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri said it would reject a compromise with Wahid and vote against him today when parliament considers his fate.
Parliament is scheduled to decide whether to convene by August a special session of the People's Consultative Assembly, the 700-member body that has the power to remove the president.
Talk of ousting the Muslim cleric began with allegations that he was involved in the theft of $4.1 million in government funds and had failed to report a $2-million aid donation from the sultan of Brunei. But now his removal from office hinges more on his erratic leadership style, reluctance to share power and neglect of Indonesia's economic and social problems.
Wahid denies any wrongdoing and says a court should weigh the corruption charges before parliament acts.
He has threatened to save himself by declaring a state of emergency and imposing martial law, which would allow him to order the arrest of his political enemies. But seemingly accepting his fate, the president took no action Tuesday.
Wahid's security chief, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, told the respected daily Kompas that the president had been on the verge of declaring martial law Monday but stopped short because of opposition from top generals.
"I myself, the military chief, the police chief were of one voice. . . . We would not support and openly disagreed with the issuance of an [emergency] decree," Yudhoyono was quoted as saying.
Instead, Wahid issued an edict directing Yudhoyono, a retired three-star general, to restore order.
If the People's Consultative Assembly votes to oust Wahid, Megawati will become president. Wahid has offered to share power with her while retaining substantial influence. Megawati has rejected the proposal.
It was unclear Tuesday whether the rioting by Wahid's supporters was aimed at providing the president with an excuse to declare martial law or reflected genuine dissatisfaction. Many Indonesians revere Wahid because of his previous role as the leader of the world's largest Muslim organization.
