The Purbalingga incident<\/p>\n
Yet another time bomb left by the New Order regime has
\nexploded. On Friday last week, the thus far little known town of
\nPurbalingga in the Banyumas regency of Central Java created an
\nuproar.<\/p>\n
Bands of supporters of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
\nStruggle (PDI Perjuangan), attacked the entourage of Golkar Party
\nchairman Akbar Tandjung, who was planning to hold a party rally
\nthere. Golkar supporters were chased. Akbar escaped unhurt
\nalthough the windows of his car were smashed.<\/p>\n
How are we to judge this case? Violence is violence, whatever
\nits motive, and is highly to be regretted. However, let us all in
\ngentleman-like fashion open our "book" of the past -- a book
\nfilled with the disheartening annotations of an avaricious
\nregime.<\/p>\n
At that time, our people were never taught to accept
\ndifferences. Political education was unknown and only one
\nexpression was understood: uniformity. There was no place for
\ndifferences. To differ meant to be an enemy.<\/p>\n
But no historical fact stands in isolation. Always, one event
\nis somehow correlated to another. Violence leads to more violence
\nand repression leads to counterrepression.<\/p>\n
Only those who are able to learn from the bitter lessons of
\nhistory can escape this cycle of retaliation. It would be sad if
\nthe Purbalingga incident were to impair the image of PDI
\nPerjuangan, the party that owes much of its growth to the
\nrepression it suffered in the past. On the other hand, Golkar
\ncannot hope to claim to be gaining in strength because it is
\nbeing reviled. An honest explanation must be found for why it is
\nbeing disparaged.<\/p>\n
The violence in Purbalingga must not be seen simply as an act
\nof brutality committed by PDI Perjuangan against Golkar. Rather,
\nit was an outpouring of pent-up rage by people who have, for so
\nlong, been searching in vain for justice and who are now
\nwitnessing how the old symbols of repression are still displaying
\ntheir arrogance.<\/p>\n
-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-purbalingga-incident-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }