Scholars skeptical about Maoist theory<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto's allegation that Maoists
\nmasterminded the recent riots received skeptical responses from
\nscientists yesterday.<\/p>\n
Amien Rais, Kausar Bailusi and Farid Ali were of the opinion
\nthat the sectarian violence in Situbondo, East Java, and
\nTasikmalaya, West Java, was fueled by socio-economic disparity.<\/p>\n
Amien, a political scientist from Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity and chief of Muhamadiyah Islamic organization, said he
\ndoubted Soeharto's theory.<\/p>\n
However, he agreed the socio-economic disparity issue must not
\nbe exaggerated to stir up emotions that could lead to fresh
\nrioting.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto told Moslem preachers last week that small
\ngroups of Maoists masterminded a series of disturbances in an
\nattempt to change the state's foundations. According to him, the
\ngroups had employed Mao Zedong's theory of controlling villages
\nenroute to power.<\/p>\n
\"I would say this is a new version of the old theory about the
\npractices of the Indonesian Communist Party. However, as an
\nacademic, I won't accept that (the speculation) right away,\" said
\nAmien.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, the home of 195 million people, saw three major
\noutbursts of ethnic and religious conflict in the last three
\nmonths. The first occurred in Situbondo, East Java last October,
\nclaiming five lives. The second hit Tasikmalaya, West Java, on
\nDec. 26, leaving four dead. Less than a week later, riots rocked
\nSanggau Ledo in West Kalimantan. Five were killed.<\/p>\n
In Situbondo and Tasikmalaya, 38 churches were set ablaze or
\ndamaged, several police posts destroyed and dozens of shops
\nbelonging to entrepreneurs of Chinese descent were set on fire.<\/p>\n
Several military and civilian leaders have blamed anonymous
\nirresponsible people, wanting to topple the government, for
\nfueling the lawlessness, claiming they were linked to the now
\noutlawed communist party.<\/p>\n
Tension<\/p>\n
Amien shared Soeharto's view that over exploitation of the
\nissue of disparities within society would only heighten tensions.<\/p>\n
\"Discussions on inequalities either on TV, in seminars and
\nnewspapers must be sustained properly, openly and honestly, so
\nthat we remember that those basic problems remain,\" Amien said.<\/p>\n
\"We should not keep silent when we watch social disparities
\nbefore our very eyes, unless we have lost the courage to redress
\nthe problems,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Amien called for continuous efforts to be made toward finding
\na solution to the socio-economic disparities, rather than just
\nwords of condemnation.<\/p>\n
\"Let's try to understand disparities, because by doing so we
\ncomplete half of our hard work. Failure to understand will lead
\nus to choose inappropriate measures of settlement,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Another political scientist, Kausar Bailusi of South
\nSulawesi's Hasanuddin University in Ujungpandang, denied
\nallegations that communists were behind the riots.<\/p>\n
\"The outbreaks were no more than expressions of demand for
\noverall improvement, especially the betterment of people's
\neconomic lives,\" Bailusi said. \"The accumulation of wealth in the
\nhands of a few people makes the people sick,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Bailusi's colleague, Farid Ali also said the recent unrest had
\nnothing to do with Maoism. The accusation that communist
\nactivists were behind the riots was politically motivated and
\ntherefore was irresponsible from a legal point of view, according
\nto Farid.<\/p>\n
\"Those problems occurred because some people have fallen
\nvictim to many of the government's policies,\" Farid said.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto also suggested last week the establishment
\nof an \"alert command center\" to prevent or handle unrest. The
\nPresident said the new command could be given the authority to
\ninvestigate suspected agitators.<\/p>\n
Some observers speculate the plan could pave the way for the
\nreturn of a security system similar to the Operational Command
\nfor the Restoration of Security and Order, set up following
\nstudent-inspired demonstrations in 1974. The government disbanded
\nthe command in September 1988 and replaced it with a less tough
\nNational Stability Coordinating Body.<\/p>\n
Amien said the planned alert command center should be
\nestablished only to handle specific problems, with its primary
\nfunction to prevent other riots from breaking out.<\/p>\n
\"It should not be authorized to question and arrest people,
\njobs already given to the police,\" Amien said. (30\/imn\/amd)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/scholars-skeptical-about-maoist-theory-1447893297",
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