Soeharto's trial 'may boost trust in govt'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Taking former president Soeharto to court is
\nvital to restoring public trust in the government, students said
\non Sunday.<\/p>\n
Continuing the investigation into Soeharto will not
\nautomatically restore faith, but it would at least be a good
\nstart, the organizing chairman of a three-day student dialog
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"It cannot be denied that people really believe the present
\ngovernment is a continuation of that under Soeharto,\" the
\nchairman, Guntur S. Prisanto, told The Jakarta Post, adding that
\nthis was why restoring public trust was vital.<\/p>\n
\"Many problems have occurred, which can be blamed on lack of
\npolitical communication between the government and citizens,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The dialog was aimed at learning the aspirations of students,
\nespecially those living in the regions. Guntur said the subject
\nof Soeharto being tried by a court of law came up as a main point
\nto attain supremacy of the law.<\/p>\n
The talk, held at Hotel Pondok Sawangan in Sawangan, south of
\nhere, involved some 100 students from 51 universities and
\ncolleges, including military students, and 33 student groups in
\n18 provinces, organizers said.<\/p>\n
Guntur said there were six main issues agreed upon at the
\ndialog, including the one on supremacy of the law.<\/p>\n
\"Frankly, issues brought up by students in Jakarta do not
\nalways reflect concerns of students in the regions,\" Guntur said.<\/p>\n
More issues under the legal sphere were demands to eradicate
\ncorruption, collusion and nepotism at all levels; an end to
\ndiscrimination under the law; and a return of community-owned
\nlands \"which were forcibly brought under the control of the
\ngovernment, the private sector or other related parties\".<\/p>\n
As to sociopolitical issues, students voiced support for
\ncommunity demands for separation from Indonesia \"if regional
\nautonomy is not carried out\", he said.<\/p>\n
For instance, students from Irian Jaya, he said, had remarked
\non how human rights were widely abused under the Indonesian
\ngovernment compared to under the Dutch.<\/p>\n
West Irian became part of Indonesia in 1962, and the military
\nhas attempted to crush signs of separatism ever since.<\/p>\n
Another point was that students rejected \"differences of
\nethnicity, religion, race and societal groups being used as a
\npolitical commodity\".<\/p>\n
\"We noted a shift in political conflict to religious
\nconflict,\" Guntur said.<\/p>\n
While Muslim student groups have called for a holy war against
\natrocities committed against fellow Muslims in Ambon, Maluku
\nprovince, Guntur said this did not mean students were divided.<\/p>\n
On defense and security issues, the students said the military
\nshould withdraw from all positions in government, the economy and
\nthe legislative bodies.<\/p>\n
Minister of Defense and Security\/Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander
\nGen. Wiranto has announced that all active military members in
\ncivilian positions must choose between being pensioned off from
\nthe military if they want to retain their jobs or return to the
\nbarracks. Some governors have chosen to retire from ABRI.<\/p>\n
Guntur said students would continue to demand more
\nprofessionalism from the Armed Forces and \"request a guarantee
\nthat there will be no more military operations anywhere\".<\/p>\n
For instance, the westernmost province of Aceh was designated
\nas a \"military operation area\" from 1989 to 1998, yet despite the
\nwithdrawal of the military last year, continued violence in the
\nprovince has led to suggestions that the military reopen a local
\ncommand there, which the students rejected.<\/p>\n
Rights abuses in various areas were highlighted in the talk,
\nsaid Guntur, who studies at the University of Indonesia's School
\nof Economics.<\/p>\n
In the economic sphere, he said students conveyed the need for
\nautonomy in the use of natural and human resources, a balanced
\nrevenue between the central and provincial governments, and that
\nthe government apply a \"people-oriented\" economy.<\/p>\n
In education, students agreed on the need for political
\nempowerment among the public and an increase in the state
\nbudget's allotment for education. (anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/soehartos-trial-may-boost-trust-in-govt-1447893297",
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