Doubts expressed over reconciliation commission<\/p>\n
Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Muslim leaders expressed doubts on Wednesday that the planned
\nTruth and Reconciliation Commission would become an effective
\ninstrument for peaceful national reconciliation.<\/p>\n
Speaking before legislators in charge of deliberating the bill
\non the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Muslim leaders
\nwarned that the establishment of the commission would only open
\nold wounds and renew conflicts.<\/p>\n
Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Hasyim Muzadi told
\nlegislators during a hearing here on Wednesday that it would be
\nbetter to bury the past and look toward the future.<\/p>\n
According to Hasyim, the nation must be unified in declaring
\nthe 1965 abortive coup d'etat -- and the deaths that followed the
\nincident -- a national tragedy.<\/p>\n
\"The government should then restore the civil rights of the
\nvictims,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Hasyim said the Indonesian Military, Muslim groups, and the
\nIndonesian Communist Party (PKI) all had roles in the failed 1965
\ncoup, which led to the deaths of thousands of suspected PKI
\nmembers.<\/p>\n
He did not explain what role the military, Muslim groups, and
\nthe PKI had played in the bloody incident.<\/p>\n
\"If the (truth and reconciliation) commission seeks the truth,
\nthen it will inevitably reopen old wounds. So, it must be made
\nclear whether reconciliation is the aim or reopening past
\nwounds,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the same hearing, Yahya Muhaimin from the
\nMuhammadiyah said comparisons between Indonesia and South Africa
\nwere not useful as the conflicts here were of a different nature.<\/p>\n
The conflicts in South Africa, he said, were driven by racial
\ndiscrimination while the conflicts in Indonesia were caused by
\nvarious factors, including ethnic, religious, and economic
\nissues.<\/p>\n
\"Besides, it is hard to find a figure who has the capacity of
\nNelson Mandela here,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Hussein Umar of the Indonesian Islamic Sermon Council (DDII),
\nmeanwhile, suggested that lawmakers delayed the discussion of the
\nbill until information was disseminated to the public on the
\nplanned commission.<\/p>\n
Although he fully supported efforts toward national
\nreconciliation, whether this could be achieved through the truth
\nand reconciliation commission was another matter, he added.<\/p>\n
Hussein also warned legislators that the commission must not
\ncreate more problems.<\/p>\n
Many other groups have rejected the bill, or expressed their
\ndoubts over its effectiveness, but legislators say that
\ncontroversies regarding the bill are to be expected.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/doubts-expressed-over-reconciliation-commission-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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