Everybody's duty<\/p>\n
It may seem strange to describe the neighborhoods disrupted by
\nfighting around the Kampung Rambutan bus station on Wednesday as
\nlucky, but that is exactly what they are.<\/p>\n
Although lives were lost, property destroyed and bus services
\nbrought to a complete standstill, the disruption caused was
\nnothing compared to the carnage that might have been expected on
\nthe basis of recent experience in other parts of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
While confusion still exists over what precisely happened, it
\nappears that the clashes grew out of a scuffle between a bus
\nconductor and a pickpocket. Two people died, one person sustained
\nserious wounds and a number of buses and taxis were burned or
\ndamaged.<\/p>\n
As common as the initial cause of the ruckus may be, Jakartans
\nshould consider themselves lucky that the incident did not
\nescalate into an altogether more serious confrontation. As recent
\nexperience in Ambon, Maluku, has shown, it only takes the
\nsmallest of disturbances to set off a chain of death and
\ndestruction that could have serious long-term consequences for
\nthe nation.<\/p>\n
The catalyst for many of the recent outbreaks of mass violence
\nin Indonesia has been an explosive cocktail of religious, racial
\nand ethnic discord, resentment and rivalry. This combination
\nprovides the perfect stomping group for troublemakers and
\nprovocateurs seeking to agitate the populace and start riots on a
\ngrand scale.<\/p>\n
Jakarta is an ethnic and racial melting pot par excellence
\nwhich brings together peoples of different beliefs, values and
\nprejudices. The authorities must therefore be commended for
\ncontaining the Kampung Rambutan incident and preventing clashes
\nfrom spreading to other parts of the city.<\/p>\n
In this context, we wholeheartedly wish Jakarta Governor
\nSutiyoso success in his stated intention of ridding the city's
\nbus stations and public areas of hoodlums and criminals. There
\ncan be no doubt that doing so would remove a major source of
\ntrouble in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, given the apparent ease with which minor
\ndisagreements can turn into mass rampages these days, the
\nresponsibility of maintaining security cannot be entrusted solely
\nto the authorities -- no matter how professional or well
\nrespected they may be.<\/p>\n
For one thing, the transition toward democracy has left the
\nauthorities bound to act in accordance with the law. This
\nprevents arbitrariness of action, but it also slows down the
\nprocess of enforcing the law.<\/p>\n
Furthermore, trouble is not only started by hoodlums and
\ncriminals. Quarrels between neighbors have the same explosive
\npotential in these troubled times.<\/p>\n
It appears that the best, although far from infallible
\nsolution to this quandary would be to actively involve the public
\nin maintaining law and order. To this end, existing neighborhood
\nassociations could be assigned a more active role in supervising
\nand monitoring developments on the streets, without, of course,
\ninfringing on people's rights to privacy and freedom of movement.<\/p>\n
Although the public is entitled to demand the highest degree
\nof integrity and professionalism from those in charge of
\nsecurity, the situation in which we now find ourselves is such
\nthat each and every citizen must be willing to assume
\nresponsibility for preserving peace and upholding the law.
\nViolence benefits no one.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/everybodys-duty-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}