Indonesia: July 22, 2001

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President Wahid ordered parliament to dissolve, but parliament, the supreme court, the armed forces and the police did not agree. Overnight parliament removed president Wahid from power and replaced him with vice president Megawati Sukarnoputri.  A few hundred Wahid supporters protested, but the bulk of Wahid's millions of followers are also disappointed with the ineffectiveness of the Wahid government. The problem is that the government of former dictator Suharto ruled via military force and corruption of local officials. There are no more links between local military and police units and officials on Suharto's payroll. As a result, many local strong men have established militias and local control. Former president Wahid refused to move against these local leaders and the local government officials (elected or appointed) were reluctant to crack down. The army and police also avoided the use of force. As a result, there has been an increase in crime and corruption, ethnic and religious violence and separatist movements. More and more of the population was fed up and even some with such wide popularity as Wahid eventually turned off too many people. 

 

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