'Political conflicts must be managed, not crushed'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government should manage political conflict
\nrather than repress or sweep it under the carpet, says former
\nminister of home affairs Rudini.<\/p>\n
Rudini said here yesterday that "even fiercer conflict" would
\notherwise develop, polarizing the government and the people,
\neventually leading to upheaval, if conflict repression continued.<\/p>\n
Rudini was quoting ideas from influential 16th century Italian
\nauthor Niccolo Machiavelli, whose two works Il Principe (The
\nPrince) and Discorsi (Discourse) were discussed at the Bentara
\nBudaya complex by several intellectuals yesterday.<\/p>\n
Besides Rudini, who leads the think tank Institute for
\nStrategic Studies of Indonesia, political observers Daniel
\nDhakidae and Muhammad A.S. Hikam attended the discussion.<\/p>\n
Rudini cited the government's handling of the leadership rift
\nwithin the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), which he said was
\nmarked with "weaknesses stemming from a practice abhorred by
\nMachiavelli, namely taking sides".<\/p>\n
Rudini said the government had taken sides and supported
\nSoerjadi and discriminated against Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
Soerjadi and a group of party dissidents ousted Megawati in a
\ngovernment-backed breakaway congress in Medan, North Sumatra, in
\nJune 1996.<\/p>\n
The conflict eventually peaked during the forced takeover of
\nPDI headquarters on July 27 last year, leading to widespread
\nrioting that left at least five dead, 16 missing and dozens of
\nbuildings burned.<\/p>\n
Rudini said the government's handling of the conflict made it
\nan easy target to be branded as "unjust" and degraded its
\ncredibility as a conflict manager.<\/p>\n
"The absence of a conflict management strategy from the
\ngovernment, or rather political efforts based on the principle of
\nconflict repression, worsened the rift instead of fixing it," he
\ntold about 200 participants attending the discussion.<\/p>\n
"This (conflict repression) had in the end led to the
\nviolation of political morality and ethics by the government
\nitself," Rudini said.<\/p>\n
In response to PDI legislator Laksmiari Priyonggo -- who said
\nshe felt "helpless" witnessing the conflict ravaging her party --
\nRudini said: "Both Megawati and Soerjadi now should be willing to
\napproach each another and settle their disputes for the sake of
\nthe party's greater interest."<\/p>\n
"There must be a process of give and take... (for the sake)
\nof reconciliation... they have to be big hearted over this," he
\nadded.<\/p>\n
A senior researcher at the National Institute of Sciences,
\nHikam, agreed that political conflict should not be repressed or
\ndenied.<\/p>\n
The practice of repressing conflict by current power holders
\nstemmed from their faith in traditional Javanese power
\nmanagement, he said.<\/p>\n
Hikam said there have been several scientific findings that in
\nthe ancient Javanese power tradition, as it is now, the concept
\nof "harmony between people and rulers as well as concentration of
\npower" is paramount.<\/p>\n
"There should be no conflict between the ruler and his
\npeople... if there is one, (the people) would either be
\ndominated, coopted or incorporated into the ruler's mainstream,"
\nhe said. (aan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/political-conflicts-must-be-managed-not-crushed-1447893297",
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