July 23, 2001, 11:15am EDT MEGAWATI REPLACES OUSTED WAHID Vice President Megawati Sukarnoputri was sworn in as Indonesia's president after Indonesia's top legislators voted to remove President Abdurrahman Wahid from office.

Online NewsHour Special Report: Indonesia July 22, 2001: Lawmakers reject Wahid's declaration of a state of emergency. July 21, 2001: Indonesia's assembly summons Wahid to account for his time in office. July 20, 2001: Examining Wahid's political struggle. Profiles: Megawati Sukarnoputri Abdurrahman Wahid Feb. 8, 2000: Indonesia's ambassador to the U.S. discusses political problems in his home country. Browse the NewsHour's coverage of Asia.   United Nations U.S. Embassy in Jakarta Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs	Megawati, the daughter of Indonesia's founding leader Sukarno, asked the people of the world's fourth-most populous nation to come together after the country's protracted political struggle. "With all humbleness, I accept the people's wishes," she said after being sworn in. I ask all sides to accept the democratic process, because this is the voice of the people." Megawati said she had disbanded the Wahid cabinet and would name her own circle of advisers within several days. Legislators voted 591-0 to remove Wahid, who officials had charged with corruption and incompetence during his 21 months in office. One hundred pro-Wahid officials boycotted the vote. The ouster came hours after Wahid declared a state of emergency and attempted to dissolve the People's Consultative Assembly, Indonesia's top lawmaking body. But assembly members voted to reject the order and police and military officials refused to enforce it. Wahid hasn't spoken publicly since his removal earlier today, and his advisers appeared conflicted as to whether he would accept his removal. "If he leaves [the president's palace], it means he accepts the decision," Foreign Minister Alwi Shihab, a close friend of Wahid, told reporters. Asked if Wahid would have to be forcibly removed, Shihab said "I don't know. I don't know." But Wahid biographer Greg Barton said Wahid was coming to grips with his situation. "There is, of course, a rather somber mood [in the palace]," Barton told Australia's ABC television. "It's a sad acceptance of what now appears to be inevitable. I think for [Wahid] most of all, it's come as a shock and he's having trouble dealing with it." International leaders, including President Bush, have backed the switch. "The people of Indonesia, by addressing their leadership crisis, and with their constitution and law have shown commitment to the rule of law and democracy," Mr. Bush said. "We look forward to working with President Megawati and her team to address Indonesia's challenges of economic reform, peaceful resolution of separatist challenges and maintaining territorial integrity," he said. Members of the Association of South East Asian Nations have also recognized Megawati as Indonesia's new leader. "ASEAN now accepts that the government of Indonesia has been changed," Secretary-General Rodolfo Severino told reporters in Hanoi.
	Months of conflict
	Wahid's removal followed months of political wrangling between the embattled president and growing opposition in the legislature. Through two censure motions, the parliament accused Wahid of embezzling $4.1 million in state funds and illegally accepting $2 million from the Sultan of Brunei. Wahid, 61, has steadfastly denied wrongdoing in either case, insisting the $4.1 million was stolen by his personal masseur and the $2 million paid for humanitarian relief in the country's war-torn province of Aceh. Indonesian Attorney General Marzuki Darusman cleared Wahid of all charges in May, but the parliament continued to push for impeachment proceedings based on dissatisfaction with his administration. Wahid was Indonesia's first democratically-elected president in 44 years, following decades of dictatorships. Megawati will serve out the remainder of Wahid's term. The next scheduled parliamentary elections will be held in 2004.