Unrest to continue, even if 'poll successful'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Political violence would continue even if the
\nJune 7 general elections were successful, according to political
\nobservers Hermawan Sulistyo and Eep Saefulloh Fatah in a gloomy
\npolitical forecast on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Both Hermawan, a researcher at the Indonesian Institute of
\nSciences (LIPI), and Eep, a lecturer at the University of
\nIndonesia, cited Indonesians' inability to accept defeat as one
\nof the reasons why they believed violence would prevail.<\/p>\n
Speaking in a LIPI-organized discussion on \"1998 Reflection
\nand 1999 Prediction: Between Reality and Hope\", Hermawan said:
\n\"Even if Megawati Soekarnoputri were to be defeated in a fair
\ncontest, I am sure her supporters would still be mad.<\/p>\n
\"We have yet to learn the ability of accepting defeat
\ngraciously,\" Hermawan added, referring to the popular chairwoman
\nof the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle.<\/p>\n
Eep concurred, saying good sportsmanship has failed to blossom
\nover the past 30 years. He also speculated that parties currently
\noptimistic of winning would also find it hard to accept should
\nthey eventually be defeated.<\/p>\n
\"This June election, in spite of its many positive changes,
\nwill not create a large corridor for the nation's transition to
\ndemocracy,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Political expert Dewi Fortuna Anwar, also of LIPI, said the
\npoll could not be expected to serve as a panacea for all the
\ncrises plaguing the country.<\/p>\n
\"It's just a gate to nirvana, not nirvana itself,\" Dewi, who
\nis also an advisor to President B.J. Habibie on foreign affairs,
\nsaid when concluding the discussion she moderated.<\/p>\n
Since the downfall of president Soeharto last May, the country
\nhas seen a series of outbreaks of lethal unrest which Hermawan
\nbelieved were signs of \"social disintegration\".<\/p>\n
According to Eep, the widespread political violence -- by both
\nthe state and the people -- has been the price the nation has to
\npay for mistakes made by the past regime under Soeharto.<\/p>\n
But, both Eep and Hermawan believed a social revolution was
\nnot impending, saying the unrest was just \"anarchy\".<\/p>\n
A failed election would make it possible for the military to
\ntake over power, according to Hermawan.<\/p>\n
But he said it would be \"stupid\" for the military to make such
\na move as the country was facing an political and economic crisis
\nthe military would not know how to handle.<\/p>\n
Hermawan warned of potential for unrest in many agricultural
\nareas in April, when the crop planting season begins, as the
\nstate subsidy for fertilizers among other things would have been
\neffectively lifted, forcing prices to soar.<\/p>\n
\"... it's a tinderbox, people will easily get mad... with or
\nwithout provocateurs,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Given the persisting dominance of the old elements, Eep
\npredicted that the June polls, while remaining the only hope for
\nimprovement, would create a government still compromising on
\ncorruption, collusion and nepotism.<\/p>\n
\"It won't be a dignified and credible government... opening
\nup a possible escalation of political violence,\" he said. (aan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/unrest-to-continue-even-if-poll-successful-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}