Thousands Take to Streets of Jakarta Over Wahid Scandal Probe

January 30, 2001 - 0:0
JAKARTA Thousands of demonstrators converged on Parliament Monday as a special inquiry was due to report its findings on two financial scandals allegedly involving President Abdurrahman Wahid.

But as more than 10,000 students marched on Parliament in support of the probe prompting police at one point to fire teargas, Wahid remained defiant and said he had no intention to bow to pressure and step down.

"No way. I will not resign because I was elected by MPR," Wahid told journalists at the Presidential Palace, referring to the People's Consultative Assembly, the country's highest lawmaking body.

The students, from at least 15 universities and academies across Indonesia, had marched some 12 kilometers (eight miles) from the State Universitas Indonesia in central Jakarta to the Parliament.

The demonstrators shouted anti-Wahid slogans, and carried posters and flags as the procession blocked the main thoroughfare to the tightly-guarded Parliament.

But a student leader said the aim of the rally was not to call for Wahid's resignation.

"We are fighting for truth and reforms," Andre Rosiade, leader of the Trisakti University's Student Council told AFP.