The right to social justice<\/p>\n
Recent calls to pay greater respect to the people of Indonesia
\nbecame louder after President Soeharto promised to pay more
\nattention to them in his state of nation address on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
With the Republic reaching 50 years of age the calls are
\nlogical and reasonable. People in many circles have now started
\nto question whether our people have been given the respect they
\ndeserve and whether they still have their constitutional rights
\nin their hands.<\/p>\n
Like the praise bestowed upon them during the Indonesian
\nrevolution, the present statements have a familiar ring. During
\nthe war of independence, all Indonesians, especially those in
\nrural areas, were praised as heroes. They sent their sons to the
\nbattlefield to defend the young Republic and the soldiers were
\nwelcomed into families of strangers everywhere.<\/p>\n
They were praised by cabinet ministers and generals who
\nsweetly expressed their feelings of gratitude.<\/p>\n
Our people, in theory, have enjoyed great honor. The founding
\nfathers put the people in their most respectable place in the
\nConstitution. \"The people are the holders of sovereignty,\"
\nstipulates the very first chapter of the Constitution.<\/p>\n
However, over time -- especially during the last three decades
\n-- the state-citizen relationship has gradually changed. The
\nauthorities neither live modestly nor do they act and speak like
\ncommon people as was typical during the war for independence. The
\nformer have distanced themselves from the latter. In many cases
\nthe relationship is just like that between members of a royal
\nfamily and common citizens.<\/p>\n
But the people are again mentioned in a tone of respect when
\nthey are needed for political purposes, especially during
\nelection time, when these earthlings suddenly become important
\nbefore being forgotten again.<\/p>\n
At such times politicians speak of fighting for the people's
\ninterests and read out long lists of promises. What is
\nforgotten, however, is that the people have been denied their
\nconstitutional rights. Those living in rural areas have no rights
\nto channel their political aspirations. They are only asked to
\njoin social or political groups backed by the authorities. Worse
\nstill, they have no right to know because the news media enjoys
\nlimited freedom and in many cases rumors have replaced
\njournalism.<\/p>\n
In school, a university professor said here recently,
\nour people are not trained to live in a democratic society,
\nthough they are promised stability and economic growth. They do
\nenjoy better social and economic conditions, but their
\nparticipation is limited. Their economic activities have been
\ncurtailed by the blatant fact of monopoly. Time and again they
\nhave become victims of the system. As State Minister\/Chairman of
\nthe National Planning Board Ginandjar Kartasasmita said recently,
\neconomic growth has mostly been enjoyed by certain business
\nentities.<\/p>\n
Politicians and legislators call for a more equitable
\ndistribution of wealth. They say government policies should focus
\nmore on the interests of the people than on economic growth. In
\nshort, the people should again be respected as people.<\/p>\n
We sincerely hope that the authorities will be able to close
\nthe widening social and economic gaps and seriously put their
\nears to the earth to hear the heartbeat of the people. They were
\nheroes of our country and they still are.<\/p>\n
If their problems are not addressed in due time we are afraid
\nthat the problem will get out of hand.<\/p>\n
In summarizing the deafening calls for equity, we would say
\nthat there is no stability as long as there is no justice --
\njustice in all fields: economic, political and judicial.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-right-to-social-justice-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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