Catholic students warned to beware of provocation<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Try Sutrisno warned Catholic
\nStudents Association activists yesterday not to be provoked by
\ncampaigns aimed at discrediting the government and stirring up
\npolitical chaos.<\/p>\n
Try said people, whom he did not identify, were out to create
\na false impression that the situation in Indonesia was far from
\nan ideal location in which to do business because mass violence
\nwas so widespread.<\/p>\n
\"These people are trying to achieve an ideal Indonesia
\naccording to their own concepts. They are busy socializing it,\"
\nhe said, as quoted by association chief Ishidorus Riza.<\/p>\n
The association's leaders met with Try to air their concerns
\nover present state problems, including recent ethnic and
\nreligious riots in several places.<\/p>\n
The vice president called on the public to be wary of
\npolitical moves intended to discredit the government for certain
\nminorities' political ends.<\/p>\n
According to Ishidorus, Try shared the students' concern over
\ncertain groups' campaign for a \"proportional\" doctrine, which
\ndemands that the majority should play a majority role in politics
\nand the economy.<\/p>\n
\"This principle is incompatible with the Indonesian spirit
\nwhich shuns domination by the majority and tyranny by the
\nminority,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In response to the students' concern that government and
\nmilitary figures had blamed recent riots on anonymous third
\nparties, Try said the authorities had identified the so-called
\n\"masterminds\".<\/p>\n
The naming of anonymous third parties, Ishidorus said, had
\ncreated public tension because it led people to speculate who the
\nculprits might be.<\/p>\n
Major riots have erupted in several provinces. In Situbondo,
\nTasikmalaya and Rengasdengklok, all on Java, the main targets
\nwere Christian and Chinese properties, including churches,
\ntemples, shops and factories.<\/p>\n
The violence spread anxiety among the minority groups.
\nChristian leaders have called on the government to conduct a
\ntransparent investigation and take harsher measures against
\nrioters.<\/p>\n
In West Kalimantan, the bloody clashes involved the indigenous
\nDayaks and migrants from Madura. On Feb. 21, people in the East
\nTimorese town of Ambeno went on a rampage, killing a Bugis
\ntrader, burning 80 houses and forcing more than 350 migrants to
\nflee.<\/p>\n
Quoting Try, Ishidorus said that some groups hoped that by
\ndamaging Indonesia's image, foreign investors would be dissuaded
\nfrom doing business in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
If events pan out as designed, he added, the Indonesian
\neconomy would weaken and the government would have to compromise
\nwith the interest groups' demands.<\/p>\n
The Catholic students believe that slack law enforcement
\ncontributed to the increasing incidence of mob violence.<\/p>\n
\"Many people in society no longer trust the legal system
\nbecause they believe it does not really work,\" Ishidorus said.<\/p>\n
All of the riots, he said, was triggered by criminal acts.
\nThey mainly involved people wanting to exploit the minor incident
\nfor their personal interests, he said.<\/p>\n
The activists also lamented the numerous controversial
\ndecisions taken by the Supreme Court and lower courts. (pan)<\/p>",
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