Jakarta's power disintegrating<\/p>\n
Gruesome pictures of beheaded Indonesians bear dreadful
\ntestimony to the dangerous disintegration of the power of the
\nrepublic's central government.<\/p>\n
Violent deaths are occurring daily throughout the vast
\narchipelago. While many of them are the result of the huge
\npressures caused by Indonesia's economic collapse, hundreds have
\nbeen killed in direct retribution for the transmigration program
\naggressively promoted by the Soeharto government, which clamped
\ndown hard on dissent and expressions of interracial and
\ninterreligious animosity.<\/p>\n
It would be easy to argue that the Jakarta government should
\nbe more active. But the administration of President B.J. Habibie
\nhas already moved far more quickly on reform than most expected.
\nThe proximity of the (June 7) polls has hamstrung Habibie on
\nfurther reforms. The decision of the Indonesian Armed Forces to
\nwind down direct involvement in the political process has left a
\nhiatus in civil law enforcement that cannot be easily filled.
\nDepressing as it sounds, prospects for an early end to the
\nkillings are not good.<\/p>\n
-- The Australian, Sydney<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jakartas-power-disintegrating-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }