A dangerous sluggishness
A dangerous sluggishness
Some of the extremely dangerous problems this nation is
facing really need to be solved immediately. The most dominant
cases include the kidnapping of activists, the May riots in which
acts of arson, looting and the rape of women and underage girls
took place, and the shooting of four Trisakti students prior to
president Soeharto stepping down.
Since President B. J. Habibie decided almost two months ago
that these cases warranted investigation, very little light has
been shed on the mysteries. While a number of police personnel
are being tried in a military tribunal for the deaths of the
Trisakti students, it seems the public needs to exercise great
patience in waiting for answers to the other two tragedies.
The problems are still cloaked in mystery, although Armed
Forces (ABRI) Commander Gen. Wiranto disclosed on Monday that
there was some indication that military men were involved in the
activists' disappearances.
Alas, the statement raises another question: Why is ABRI being
sluggish and dragging its feet with the investigation, especially
since foreign news media have named those they believe
masterminded the kidnapping and torture. It's worth noting that
ABRI has never denied the foreign reports.
The public certainly has every reason to question ABRI's lack
of action because there have been so many cases in which ABRI
closed ranks and protected its own. Many people believe there
were military officers involved in the 1993 violent murder of
Marsinah, a labor activist in East Java. This is but just one
example.
It would not be so alarming if the probe only affected ABRI
alone. But the slow investigation has a direct impact not only on
the fate of this nation but also on the outside world's trust in
ABRI, and more importantly in the government. What is regretful
is the bleak picture painted by the clumsiness and lack of
ability in the investigation.
As long the cases of kidnapped activists and the mid-May riots
remain unsolved, every citizen will continue to live under the
threat of becoming the next victim of armed abductors, arsonists,
looters and bestial rapists. The fear will not only haunt
Indonesians of Chinese descent, some of whom left the country
after the riots and have not returned home to resume their
business activities even though the nation badly needs them as
well as foreign investors. They are reluctant to return because
they do not believe that our security apparatus is capable of
ensuring their safety.
Although Wiranto has repeatedly said this country is a safe
haven for everyone, for many people the May nightmare was too
real and vicious an incident to be erased by a statement. People
will only have peace of mind if those involved in the tragedies
are brought to justice.
As long as the suspects are still at large and free to go on
with their criminal activities it will be very hard to envisage
this country rebuilding its collapsed economy. And billions of
dollars from the IMF, the World Bank or friendly governments will
not pull us back from the brink of total bankruptcy as long as
the culprits are around.
The slowness in the probe will not only lose ABRI the
people's trust, it will also breed a situation in which the
nation becomes the helpless casualty.
ABRI needs to act swiftly because the clock is ticking faster.