Aiming at the wrong target<\/p>\n
(American Indonesia expert) Jeffrey A. Winters came to
\nIndonesia for the launch of two of his books -- both new and
\nsuperb in content and use of the Indonesian language. The
\npublic's response has been most favorable. The books' public
\nlaunch has been well attended and well covered by the press.<\/p>\n
End of the episode? Not quite, and herein lies the
\nsignificance of the event. With the book launching formalities
\nover, two more, and no less exacting, episodes await Winters.
\nFirst, he will be summoned by the Attorney General's Office in
\nconnection with investigations concerning former president
\nSoeharto's alleged wealth. Second, National Police Headquarters
\nformally accused him of defaming Coordinating Minister for
\nEconomy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita in a case
\ninvolving (United States-based mining company) PT Freeport
\nIndonesia. Winters is accused of defamation because he has
\nquestioned Ginandjar's \"cleanness\".<\/p>\n
Thus, once again, our legal authorities have set their aim on
\nthe wrong target. The substance of the case involves an attempt
\nto uncover cases of corruption, collusion and nepotism. In doing
\nthis, academics have their own manner of stating their case. But
\nwhy, then, are they being pursued for questioning? This is the
\nfate which has befallen George Aditjondro, Christianto Wibisono
\nand now Winters.<\/p>\n
It must be said that swapping substance and altering the gist
\nseems to be a strategy favored by the Habibie government. The
\ncase of the scanned telephone conversation between President
\nHabibie and Attorney General Ghalib is a case in point.
\nCuriously, it is not the content of the conversation which is
\nbeing questioned and investigated. Instead, the authorities
\ninsist on finding the person who scanned the conversation and
\nhave wasted a good deal of time questioning the press, which
\nreported the incident. In the meantime, as any sane person knows,
\nscanning a telephone conversation is one thing, discovering the
\ntruth of the conversation's content is another.<\/p>\n
The point is, which question must be answered first? The list
\nof examples could be extended, but the conclusion remains the
\nsame: Our legal authorities have been going in the wrong
\ndirection and are aiming at the wrong targets. They are not
\nchasing the thieves, but the people who are shouting \"thief\". But
\nsounding the alarm is the job, even the calling, of every
\nintellectual.<\/p>\n
-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/aiming-at-the-wrong-target-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }