Widespread frustation behind riots: Observers<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): More observers have offered an explanation for
\nthe outburst of violence that has jolted the country over the
\npast two months, with most pinning the blame on widespread
\nfrustration and a sense of powerlessness among people.<\/p>\n
In Semarang, Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher said
\nyesterday the riots erupted because people were frustrated with
\nliving conditions and felt powerless to stop corruption.<\/p>\n
\"There were people who felt left behind in development and the
\nincreasingly stiff competition. There were people who became
\nrich, and there were people who fell into poverty...They had no
\npower to compete with those of a higher social and economic
\nstatus. Frustrated with their living condition, they turned to
\nviolence and rioting,\" Tarmizi told reporters after opening a
\nseminar on religion and development at Diponegoro University.<\/p>\n
Rioting has rocked Indonesia in the past two years. The most
\nrecent riot erupted earlier this month in West Kalimantan when
\n5,000 Dayak tribesmen, the local indigenous group, burned scores
\nof homes and stores belonging to settlers who had migrated from
\nthe Indonesian island of Madura, East Java.<\/p>\n
Tarmizi urged fellow senior government officials to help allay
\npeople's frustration and prevent unrest by implementing
\ntransparent policies and being honest in words and deeds.<\/p>\n
He said officials had to be frank and disclose their failures
\nin various projects, and called on the public to be realistic in
\ntheir demands.<\/p>\n
\"People of low income should never dream of having a luxurious
\nhouse and those unwilling to work hard should never think of
\nholding a high position at work,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Scholar Victor Tanja said the recent riots were not caused by
\nreligious enmity, but were due to social and economical
\ndisparities and legal injustices.<\/p>\n
\"Unfortunately, social and economic disparities were often
\nabused by certain groups in society and treated as a political
\nweapon in their quest to disrupt national stability,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Victor urged religious leaders to teach their followers
\nreligious and social solidarity.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a seminar in Munich, Germany, former ambassador to
\nWashington Hasnan Habib said the recent violence was due to a
\n\"degradation of ethics\".<\/p>\n
\"People whose understanding of the values of (state ideology)
\nPancasila is strengthening have begun to realize the improper
\nconduct of people who actually should be public role models,\"
\nHasnan was quoted by Antara as saying yesterday.<\/p>\n
The resulting disillusionment and frustration has emerged in
\nthe form of brutality, he said.<\/p>\n
Another speaker at the German-Indonesian dialogue, political
\nanalyst Soedjati Djiwandono from the Center of Strategic and
\nInternational Studies (CSIS), said people had lost their patience
\nwith a legal system that failed to protect them.<\/p>\n
He pointed at the Supreme Court, supposedly the people's last
\nbastion for justice, which has been beset by internal problems.
\nSoedjati called for reforms in the worn-out political, economic
\nand education systems.<\/p>\n
The dialogue also discussed the Armed Forces (ABRI) socio-
\npolitical role.<\/p>\n
\"There have been differences between retired senior figures in
\nthe Armed Forces and the current officers, especially on how to
\nexercise the Armed Forces' socio-political function,\" Hasnan
\nsaid. \"But these differences might have been caused by the fact
\nthat the two groups come from different times.\" (har\/imn\/35)<\/p>",
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