After a day in which the Indonesian capital was paralysed by widespread arson and looting, a coherent political opposition emerged for the first time to challenge President Suharto's grip on power. A peace council, fronted by the Muslim leader, Mr Amien Rais, announced its formation and called for the replacement of Mr Suharto by a coalition of interest groups pending the emergence of a successor.
Convoys of armoured personnel carriers arrived in Jakarta late in the afternoon and took up positions at key installations, including the Presidential Palace and the Central Bank. At midnight military trucks drove in along deserted expressways with 10,000 troop reinforcements to restore order.
The army and police did little during the day, however, to prevent an orgy of arson and looting as crowds took to the streets to call for Mr Suharto to resign. Some troops even gave "high-five" greetings to rioters, as a carnival-like anarchy engulfed Jakarta. The death toll for three days of violent protest rose to 24 last night. Two rioters were shot by troops near the University of Indonesia medical campus.
At least 11 of the fatalities were ethnic Chinese, burned in their homes. Last night vigilantes were patrolling districts with Chinese shops while wealthier Chinese crowded into city hotels for security.
The military chief, Gen Wiranto, said three soldiers died on Wednesday.
Traffic came to a halt and businesses closed in the city of 10 million people as mobs wandered around setting fire to small shops and high-rise buildings. On the airport expressway youths set up roadblocks, demanding money from foreigners and looking for Chinese fleeing the city. A beer warehouse was emptied at Heineken's brewery. Aircraft leaving the city were full and the United States, Japan, Germany, France, Australia and Ireland advised their citizens to avoid travel to Indonesia.
The turmoil, which followed the shooting dead of six young people by security forces at Trisakti University on Tuesday, represented a massive outpouring of discontent against Mr Suharto. Students appeared convinced that the army was now sympathetic to their cause.
The peace council was set up by 50 political activists to promote democracy and reform. They said President Suharto should step down in the interests of the nation and advocated a presidium representing all interest groups to take over in the wake of his resignation.
Mr Rais, leader of a 28-million strong Islamic group which has been gaining widespread support, said it was likely to include the military and Ms Megawati Sukarnoputri, the daughter of the former president and a focus for democracy activists.
Mr Suharto (76) said he would not oppose a call to step down if the people lost their trust in him, but the Foreign Minister, Mr Ali Alatas, explained that Mr Suharto had said that before and would take this course only "as long as it is done constitutionally". Mr Suharto had said: "If I am no longer trusted, I will become a pandito [a sage] and endeavour to get closer to God. I will do tut wuri handayani [guide from behind]."