A loss of reason

In times of crisis base emotions often triumph over reason. For Indonesians, this age-old axiom is not hard to understand at this particular point in their history as a nation. It is, after all, a truism that explains the wave of unrest and rioting that has in the past weeks hit a growing number of towns in several of this country's provinces. Accustomed to three decades of economic growth and relative affluence, most Indonesians still seem dazed by the sudden and drastic turn which developments have taken in the past months. And as the crisis continues and has begun to affect the lives and livelihoods of an increasing number of people, disbelief has often turned to impatience and anger in many.

Although, generally speaking, it cannot be said that Indonesians as a people are prone to violence, cases of unrest and violence are certainly no extraordinary phenomena in this country. Clashes have occurred from time to time in past years between the authorities and groups of protesters with grievances ranging from corruption to human rights abuses. Usually, the authorities have little problem putting down such disturbances and calm is restored until another issue rises to the surface. In the case of the present wave of riots that has hit a number of towns in the provinces, however, some new elements exist to warrant a more cautious approach in our efforts to quell the unrest. As media reports indicate, the most important, if not the single motive of the unrest so far has been the rising prices of some of the most basic commodities.

Even in Jakarta, where for security reasons sufficient stocks are probably maintained better than in the regions, complaints can be heard daily that basic necessities such as rice, sugar, cooking oil and milk have become almost unaffordable to people in the lower income categories, pushing up prices of secondary commodities. As sustained hunger makes people desperate, it is easy enough to understand that many people turn to rioting to vent their anger against anyone or anything they perceive as being the culprits in a situation. There can be little doubt that the authorities in Jakarta are well aware of these circumstances and take this background into account as they try to maintain public order. It is to be hoped the same wisdom will inspire the regional authorities in their actions.

One disturbing element in all this meanwhile deserves to be mentioned. The situation that prevails at present makes it all too easy for unscrupulous elements to use the people's grievances for their own interests and to incite people to commit acts of violence, particularly against minority groups, who, being more or less defenseless, make the most convenient scapegoats on whom to blame anything that goes wrong. In the riots that have rocked our provincial towns lately it is reportedly Chinese shop owners who have been the victims. Humanitarian considerations aside, such acts clearly violate our own professed ideal of building a single unified nation, undivided by differences of race or creed. Of more immediate importance is the fact that such violence disrupts the normal course of business in the locality and thus obstructs rather than helps efforts to ensure the public's economic interests.

In conclusion it may be useful to remind ourselves that the unrest and violence of the past days are one aspect of the crisis we, Indonesians, are at present experiencing as a nation. In such a situation, all of us -- both in government and outside -- should have the good sense to avoid anything that could deepen our anguish, muster the wisdom to ponder on whatever may have gone wrong and make the necessary corrections in a peaceful and orderly manner.