A tragic legacy<\/p>\n
Brutal acts of violence and murders, such as the senseless
\n\"killing fields of Aceh\", \"bloody Semanggi\", and \"the Ketapang
\nfree fight\" are merely a reflection of the way this nation was
\nbrought to its 53rd birthday, under authoritarian rule for more
\nthan 50 percent of its lifetime. All of these incidents have
\ntragic consequences, not only for those killed or injured, but
\nalso for their families and communities and, indeed, for the
\nnational psyche. It is fair to say that we have all been
\nvictimized by these brutal incidents.<\/p>\n
This is especially true when one sees this shocking picture on
\nthe front page of a leading newspaper: a blood-soaked human body
\nis dragged by the feet while other people elatedly beat the body,
\nnot knowing or caring whether the man is still alive or already
\ndead. Are we living in a nation where even our own neighborhoods
\nhave been turned into places of mass murder; a nation where
\nhomicide in our business community has been added to the ever-
\ngrowing list of hazards we face each day; a nation where our
\nforefathers proudly built a gigantic mosque next to a legendary
\nchurch, only to be torn apart as the result of ethnic, racial,
\nreligious and societal issues; a nation where anyone who opts for
\nhigh civilian or military positions cannot escape the obligatory
\npre-service training of civics. I faintly recall the hard times
\nwhen the rebellious Sukarno voiced his concerns before foreign
\ncolonial rulers, now it is even harder because we have to face
\nthe oppression of our own fellow countrymen.<\/p>\n
If we are to state who is to blame, then allow me to rephrase
\nstatements of Charles Patrick Ewing, a forensic psychologist,
\nattorney, and professor of law of Buffalo University: \"The causes
\nof violence (in our society) are obvious to anyone who cares to
\nlook for them\", i.e., abuse (by the government), poverty (caused
\nby corporations), exposure to violence (by the military), and
\nfailure to transmit values (by religious leaders). Would it be
\ntoo difficult to discover who is responsible for all this?<\/p>\n
DR. HAFIL B. ABDULGANI<\/p>\n
Bandung, West Java<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/a-tragic-legacy-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }