Understanding the riots<\/p>\n
We had barely recovered from the shock of last week's unrest
\nin Tasikmalaya, West Java, when another flare-up occurred this
\nweek in the Sanggau Ledo regency of West Kalimantan. The violent
\nriot in Tasikmalaya, and the one in Situbondo in October, turned
\nsectarian in nature, even though it had nothing to do with
\nreligious issues. In Sanggau Ledo, judging from reports received
\nin Jakarta, it was an ethnic conflict right from the start,
\npitting a local Dayak tribe against migrants, most of whom came
\nfrom Madura Island in East Java.<\/p>\n
Such violence, regardless of the pretext, must be condemned.<\/p>\n
The main lesson to be learned from these incidents -- in
\nSitubondo, Tasikmalaya, and also in Jakarta last July -- is that
\nviolence solves nothing. It only adds to misery. Violence causes
\ndeath and injury, damage to property, and displaces people from
\ntheir homes and jobs. Recovery is slow and painful, and restoring
\nnormalcy is even more difficult in small towns once they have
\nbeen polarized by sectarian and ethnic violence.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto in his year end speech on Tuesday
\nrecognized that 1996 was marked by upheavals caused by social,
\ncultural, political, economic and religious tension. He cautioned
\nthe nation to stay clearheaded, open-hearted and unemotional.<\/p>\n
The frequency with which these flare-ups have occurred over
\nthe past year can only prompt us to ask what is happening to our
\nnation, which has always taken pride in its pluralistic society.<\/p>\n
To the uninformed, these violent incidents could give the
\nimpression that ethnic and sectarian conflicts are normal
\noccurrences in Indonesia. But those who have lived in this
\ncountry for a long time know that such riots are isolated
\nincidents. Compared with other religiously and ethnically diverse
\ncountries, Indonesia can still be proud of its ability to foster
\nharmony among its many diverse groups. But it would be wrong to
\ndismiss these riots as simply local incidents.<\/p>\n
The incidents tell us that peaceful coexistence is not
\nsomething we can take for granted. They tell us of the need to
\nwork even harder to ensure peace and harmony. They are a sign
\nthat today's social and economic disparities must be addressed,
\nbecause often these factors, not religious differences, are what
\nlead to unrest.<\/p>\n
They also tell us that we need to get to the root of the
\nproblems. This is unfortunately where we have failed miserably.<\/p>\n
Government and military officials, politicians and experts
\ntirelessly tell us that behind every riot lies a third party, one
\nthat exploits ethnic or religious differences. So far, whether in
\nSitubondo, Tasikmalaya and in Sanggau Ledo, no one has been able
\nto pinpoint a third party. The few dozen arrested, and now being
\ntried in Situbondo, were small-time looters. Their trials are
\nunlikely to give any indication about the real forces behind the
\nriots.<\/p>\n
There have also been rumors suggesting that these flare-ups
\nare the culmination of a power struggle among the political elite
\nin Jakarta. Though some of the rumors may sound far-fetched and
\ncynical, they cannot be ignored. Having convinced us of the
\ninvolvement of a third party, these same officials and experts
\nhave yet to prove their seriousness in catching and punishing the
\ntrue culprits.<\/p>\n
Getting to the bottom of the problems would yield valuable
\ninformation about how to prevent their repetition elsewhere. But
\nas long as we remain in the dark about their causes, we can only
\nwonder where the next riot will break out, and how hard it will
\nhit.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/understanding-the-riots-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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