Riots blamed on growing sectarianism<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The widespread violence that marred this year's
\ngeneral election is a sign of worsening domestic sectarianism, a
\npolitical analyst said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Amir Santoso of the University of Indonesia said that he did
\nnot agree with the widely-held belief that socioeconomic
\ndisparity was the root of the unrest.<\/p>\n
He said that growing sectarianism had manifested itself in the
\nincreasing confrontation between supporters of the United
\nDevelopment Party (PPP) and the government-backed Golkar.<\/p>\n
\"It (the unrest) all shows that militancy among political
\ngroups in society is growing,\" Amir told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The politically-motivated riots which happened long before
\ncampaigning, during campaigning and after polling day had mostly
\ninvolved supporters of the Moslem-oriented PPP and Golkar.<\/p>\n
The worst riot, which claimed 123 lives on May 23 in the South
\nKalimantan capital of Banjarmasin, broke out after Golkar
\nsupporters began campaigning before Moslems had finished Friday
\nprayers.<\/p>\n
In Java, particularly East Java, rampaging PPP supporters had
\nmostly targeted government buildings and Golkar property.<\/p>\n
Amir said that PPP supporters had seemed to \"lose orientation\"
\nafter Abdurrahman Wahid, chief of the 30-million-strong Nahdlatul
\nUlama Moslem organization, had allied with Golkar leader Siti
\nHardiyanti Rukmana.<\/p>\n
\"They (the PPP faithful) were like chicks that had lost their
\nmother hens,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But Abdurrahman did not openly state his political
\naffiliation, despite taking Hardiyanti, President Soeharto's
\neldest daughter, to Islamic boarding schools in PPP-strongholds
\nin Java to promote Golkar.<\/p>\n
Amir said the riots had generally involved minors who were too
\nyoung to think about big issues like economic disparity.<\/p>\n
The aggravation had been caused partly by major social changes
\nin the past 30 years which the government had failed to
\naccommodate, he said.<\/p>\n
Some of the worst riots were on Madura island, where PPP
\nsupporters protested violently over what they saw as rampant
\nvote-rigging. In Sampang regency, they burned ballot boxes,
\nforcing the government to hold a revote.<\/p>\n
The latest incident of election violence was in Bangkalan,
\nwhere PPP supporters attacked government buildings, a cinema and
\nshops. But there have been no riots since the East Java military
\nchief threatened last week to shoot rioters on sight.<\/p>\n
Amir said the riots in Madura showed that the government had a
\nlegitimacy crisis there.<\/p>\n
Rioters had targeted the government which, like father, mother
\nand teacher, was traditionally a most respected patron, he said.<\/p>\n
Amir said the government should name the individuals or groups
\nwhich it had singled out as \"masterminds\" behind all the riots.<\/p>\n
\"Statements without evidence will only tarnish the
\ngovernment's image,\" he said.<\/p>\n
East Java Governor Basofi Soedirman has said that communists
\nmay be behind the unrest. (pan)<\/p>",
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