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Megawati in charge of Human Rights



Wahid names new Indonesian cabinet

Military chief Wiranto stripped of most power

October 26, 1999
Web posted at: 4:03 p.m. HKT (0803 GMT)

JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- Indonesian President Abdurrahman
Wahid named a new "national unity Cabinet" on Tuesday that reduces the
military's once-powerful role and includes representatives from all of the
country's major political parties.

"There are some compromises," Wahid said in a nationally televised address. 
But he hoped
the Indonesian people would find his selections "very satisfactory."

The 34-minister lineup was only slightly smaller than the cabinets that 
served during the
32-year reign of President Suharto, and his Golkar Party successor, B.J. 
Habibie. Many of
the smaller posts went to members of Muslim parties rewarded for supporting 
Wahid's
candidacy last week.

Despite his pledge to root out corruption from past administrations, Wahid 
named four
Cabinet members who had served under Suharto or Habibie.

Selection process 'big headache'

Former Habibie minister Juwono Sudarsono will replace powerful armed
forces chief Gen. Wiranto as defense Minister. Sudarsono will be the first
civilian to hold the post.

In another first, Wahid appointed a navy man as military chief. Adm.
Widodo Adisutjipto had served as Wiranto's deputy, but played no part in
Indonesian politics. The navy is widely regarded in Indonesia as less 
corrupt
than the army.

Wiranto himself was named coordinator minister for social and political
affairs, a post that carries little direct control over troops.

Wahid's National Awakening Party colleague Alwi Shihab will replace Ali
Alatas as foreign minister. Shihab is a U.S.-educated college professor and
Islamic studies expert.

Shibab said Monday that the selection process was a "big headache" for his
close friend Wahid, who was subjected to days of intense lobbying by
would-be appointees.

Wahid took the unprecedented step of consulting Vice President Megawati
Sukarnoputri on the selection process. Legislative speaker Amien Rais and
Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung were also included.

Troubled economy top priority

Because of Wahid's poor eyesight, Megawati read the list of ministers.
Her close aide, economist Kwik Kian Gie, was named senior economics
minister.

The new finance minister, who will be in charge of the national budget, is a
relative unknown, Bambang Sudibyo. An economics professor at Gadjah
Mada University, he has no political track record.

Fixing the country's troubled economy remains the government's top
challenge. As a member of Indonesia's ethnic Chinese minority, Kwik hopes
to bring back billions of dollar of investment that Beijing pulled out of 
the
country during civil unrest in 1998.

Kwik had been a vocal opponent of strict austerity measures imposed on
Indonesia by the International Monetary Fund as part of its bailout program.
However, he has taken a more conciliatory approach toward IMF loans in
recent months.

Wahid announced that Megawati would charge of improving human rights
and the environment, "which have long been neglected."

Wahid played a major role in having the popular politician elected vice
president last Thursday. Her defeat the day before sparked protests by
supporters and touched off fears of wider, more violent unrest in Indonesia.

Jakarta Bureau Chief Maria Ressa, The Associated Press and Reuters 
contributed to this report.


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