Organized crime not a problem yet: Seminar<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Judges and scholars at a seminar held here
\nyesterday were unanimous in their support for police efforts
\nagainst organized crime in Indonesia's cities.<\/p>\n
\"We have to anticipate the possible emergence of organized
\ncrime groups, even though their methods may still be traditional
\nat this stage,\" Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman told
\nparticipants in the police-sponsored one-day seminar on organized
\ncrime and its prevention, held at the Police Science College.<\/p>\n
Muladi, from Semarang's University of Diponegoro, Satjipto
\nRahardjo from the Moslem Assyafi'iyah College in Jakarta and
\nlawyer Lobby Loeqman all expressed appreciation for police
\nefforts to reduce crime and to prevent the growth of organized
\ncrime in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
According to Muladi, none of the crimes documented in police
\nrecords had been committed by organized syndicates.<\/p>\n
Police investigations showed that racketeering, violent
\nrobberies, drug trafficking, prostitution, vehicle theft,
\nterrorism and white-collar crime currently involved only small
\ngroups of people, he said.<\/p>\n
However, authorities must pay serious attention to the
\nphenomenon of organized crime, he said, because many crimes
\ncommitted in Indonesia had been linked to criminal networks in
\nother countries.<\/p>\n
Rahardjo said: \"Even though organized crime is not yet a
\nproblem in Indonesia, we have to anticipate its arrival here as
\nearly as possible, given the experience of other countries and
\nincreasing globalization.\"<\/p>\n
Scholar Mardjono Reksodiputro from the University of
\nIndonesia, who was one of the panelists, warned against the use
\nof violence in the fight against organized crime, saying it would
\nprove ineffective, even counterproductive.<\/p>\n
\"It (the use of violence by the authorities) only causes young
\ncriminal groups to ask for protection from the syndicates,\"
\nMardjono said.<\/p>\n
He said that the authorities' massive operation against street
\nhoodlums recently might not help stop the emergence of organized
\ncrime syndicates in this country.<\/p>\n
The seminar was attended by over 100 participants from related
\nfields. Other speakers included Supreme Court Justice Bismar
\nSiregar; former deputy national police chief for operational
\naffairs, Maj. Gen. (ret.) Koesparmono Irsan and former city
\npolice chief, Maj. Gen. (ret.) Mochammad Hindarto.<\/p>\n
Lobby said that, apart from anticipating the emergence of
\nstrong organized crime syndicates, the authorities should also
\npay attention to possible collusion between high-ranking
\nofficials and criminals. \"If such practices occur, they could
\npave the way for the growth of (organized crime) syndicates,\" he
\nwarned.<\/p>\n
Police claim that there are no organized crime syndicates in
\nIndonesia but say they have found some small groups which ran
\ntheir operations in ways similar to those of notorious crime
\nsyndicates abroad.<\/p>\n
\"These small units could grow stronger and become an
\nuntouchable organized crime chain if adequate measures are not
\ntaken to get rid of them right now,\" Hindarto said.<\/p>\n
According to Koesparmono, many local criminal groups have
\nestablished legal companies as fronts for their illegal
\noperations.<\/p>\n
Some of the amateur organized crime syndicates had also
\ncultivated close relationships with certain middle-ranking police
\nofficers, whom they believe have a promising future, he said.
\n(bsr)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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