Riots incited by disparity, scholars say<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Observers have asked the government to look
\ndeeper for the causes of recent violence, saying that prevailing
\nsocial and economic inequity is providing fertile soil in which
\ncommunism can flourish.<\/p>\n
The observers said that it was the inequity which should be
\naddressed if the whole community wished to solve the problems
\nleft behind by the July 27 riots, that erupted following the
\nforced takeover of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI)
\nheadquarters by Soerjadi from his rival Megawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
The government has blamed the unrecognized Democratic People's
\nParty (PRD) for the riots, accusing it of communist-like
\nactivities.<\/p>\n
\"The gap between the rich and the poor has reached an alarming
\nlevel, and it can become a fertile ground for communism,\"
\nbusinessman Sofyan Wanandi said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after attending the 70th birthday
\ncelebrations for former education minister Daoed Yoesoef, Sofyan
\nsaid that as bad as they were, the riots did not have a serious
\nimpact on the government's development programs.<\/p>\n
\"The whole society, however, needs to introspect and evaluate
\nhow well we have achieved the goals of national development,\"
\nSofyan said. \"The rioting showed that there's something wrong in
\nour society, something which must be corrected.\"<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman Wahid, chairman of the 30-million strong Nahdlatul
\nUlama Moslem Organization, seconded Sofyan's opinion.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman, better known as Gus Dur, said social and economic
\ndisparities have created an accumulation of psychological tension
\namong people, which may be released by violence.<\/p>\n
\"Once the tension is released, the crisis is over. We,
\nhowever, have to find out the real roots of the problems,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He also mentioned people's poor understanding of the Armed
\nForces and insufficient reconciliation as causes of the unrest.<\/p>\n
Military analyst Lt. Gen. (ret) Hasnan Habib deplored the
\nriots and said that a complete resolution to the conflict in the
\nPDI, which triggered the unrest, now depended entirely on the
\ngovernment<\/p>\n
\"The government shouldn't have recognized Soerjadi just like
\nthat. It should gather all of the conflicting parties and tell
\nthem to find an acceptable solution through dialog,\" Hasnan said.<\/p>\n
Hasnan, however, believed that the Armed Forces could play an
\nimportant role in reconciling the conflicting camps in the PDI.<\/p>\n
Mass<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, three youth organizations of Golkar announced
\nyesterday their plan to hold a rally to declare their loyalty to
\nthe state ideology Pancasila and their disgust of communism.<\/p>\n
The Pemuda Pancasila, the Organization of the Children of
\nRetired Armed Forces Members and the Panca Marga will be
\nmobilized with an expected 50,000 students, politicians,
\nreligious leaders and others at the Eastern Senayan Parking Lot
\nin South Jakarta on Sunday morning.<\/p>\n
Some 5,000 people have already gathered at the Hasanuddin
\nSquare in Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi. Students and activists of
\nthe local branches of some youth organizations declared their
\nloyalty to the Pancasila and their abhorrence of communists.<\/p>\n
The planned rally was also meant to display the youths'
\nsupport for the way the government and the Armed Forces had
\nhandled the riots, according to Yorrys Th. Raweyai, the deputy
\nchairman of the Pemuda Pancasila.<\/p>\n
\"The rioters never got grassroots' support,\" Raweyai said.<\/p>\n
The politically well-connected Association of the Indonesian
\nMoslem Intellectuals also stated yesterday its stance on the
\nrioting and the PRD.<\/p>\n
Chairman of the association B.J. Habibie, who is also State
\nMinister of Research and Technology, delivered the statement to
\nPresident Soeharto, and later told the press that the
\norganization completely supported the government's actions
\nagainst the rioters.<\/p>\n
But Habibie also urged that all elements of society uphold the
\npresumption of innocence until proven guilty regarding the riots
\nby providing those suspected of involvement with due legal
\nprocedures.<\/p>\n
Separately, the Communication Forum for the Alumni of the
\nAssociation of Islamic Students and the Movement of the
\nIndonesian Nationalist Students also called for respect of the
\nprinciple of the presumption of innocence.<\/p>\n
\"Allegations of the rioters' links with the outlawed
\nIndonesian Communist Party should be proven before the court,\"
\nread the statement, which was co-signed by Judilherry Justam of
\nthe Islamic students alumni and Muchyar Yara of the nationalist
\nstudents movement. (imn\/16\/32\/20)<\/p>\n
Rights -- Page 2<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/riots-incited-by-disparity-scholars-say-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }