Reconciliation at last?<\/p>\n
Though much belated, the government's agreement to form a
\nnational reconciliation team consisting of representatives of the
\ngovernment, the National Commission on Human Rights, non-
\ngovernmental organizations and the public at large can only be
\nwelcomed. After all, leaders of the reform movement that brought
\nabout the downfall of former president Soeharto's repressive New
\nOrder regime have been urging President Habibie to work toward
\nnational reconciliation from almost as soon as he took over the
\nreins of government from his predecessor in May.<\/p>\n
Judging from the announcement made by Justice Minister Muladi
\non Friday, what the government hopes to achieve by forming such a
\nteam, apparently, is to unite all the elements of Indonesian
\nsociety and encourage people to turn adverse experiences of the
\npast into valuable, though bitter, lessons. This will help to
\nbridge the gaps that currently exist between conflicting parties.<\/p>\n
\"It means that we will try to make the desire for revenge a
\nthing of the past, without negating enforcement of the law,\"
\nMuladi told reporters after a three-hour meeting on Friday
\nbetween Habibie and a delegation from the National Commission on
\nHuman Rights.<\/p>\n
The team is also expected to promote national unity and
\ncohesion because \"society at present is threatened by separatism
\nand disintegration,\" according to Muladi. Laudable objectives,
\nwithout doubt. And neither can there be any doubt that the need
\nfor such an effort exists.<\/p>\n
A few of the many divisive cases that require immediate
\nattention are the trauma in Aceh, which needs urgent healing; the
\natrocities allegedly been committed in East Timor and Irian Jaya,
\nwhich need serious and immediate attention; and the government-
\nengineered split in the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI), which
\nhas rendered the party impotent and affected masses of ordinary
\nIndonesians who support the two contending factions.<\/p>\n
This is not to mention many perceived injustices committed
\nunder the old regime which are still pertinent today such as the
\ncontinued imprisonment of leaders of the Democratic People's
\nParty (PRD) and the government's apparent unwillingness to
\nreinvestigate the Tanjung Priok and Lampung incidents in which
\nmany protesters are believed to have been killed. These are cases
\nthat have left behind profound grudges, not only against those in
\npower perceived to have perpetrated these injustices, but also
\nagainst other groups in Indonesian society. That the government
\nhas finally agreed to set up a team is a welcome token and shows
\nthat, at least in principle, the need for such a step is well
\nenough understood by those in power. But the question is, will it
\nhave the strength of will to do what is needed?<\/p>\n
A national reconciliation would require a willingness to make
\ncertain sacrifices on the part of all parties involved. Since
\nalmost all of the injustices and perceived injustices were
\nperpetrated during the Soeharto regime, it is the government that
\nwill have to make most of those sacrifices. Unfortunately, our
\nfeeling is that it is not ready to do so. Its apparent half-
\nheartedness in taking the step is in itself an indication of its
\nfeelings on the matter. For example, will President Habibie be
\nable to overcome the objections of his security ministers to the
\nrelease of all remaining political prisoners, including the PRD
\nleaders and East Timorese leader Jose Alexandre \"Xanana\" Gusmao.<\/p>\n
Senior government figures continue to talk as though revenge
\nand disintegration are the only threats confronting the nation.
\nConceding that this is true, a widely perceived sense of
\ninjustice is nevertheless still at the core of the matter and
\neffective reconciliation can only be achieved if justice is
\nmeted out where justice is due. The problem is much wider in
\nscope than the government apparently perceives.<\/p>\n
Be that as it may, the composition of the team that is to be
\nformed will be a good indication of what we can expect it to
\nachieve. Let us hope the team will be effective, because we don't
\nquite see how this government is going to win the trust and the
\ncredibility it so much needs unless a sense of peace, harmony and
\ntogetherness can be restored in our society.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/reconciliation-at-last-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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