Aiming at the wrong target

(American Indonesia expert) Jeffrey A. Winters came to Indonesia for the launch of two of his books -- both new and superb in content and use of the Indonesian language. The public's response has been most favorable. The books' public launch has been well attended and well covered by the press.

End of the episode? Not quite, and herein lies the significance of the event. With the book launching formalities over, two more, and no less exacting, episodes await Winters. First, he will be summoned by the Attorney General's Office in connection with investigations concerning former president Soeharto's alleged wealth. Second, National Police Headquarters formally accused him of defaming Coordinating Minister for Economy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar Kartasasmita in a case involving (United States-based mining company) PT Freeport Indonesia. Winters is accused of defamation because he has questioned Ginandjar's "cleanness".

Thus, once again, our legal authorities have set their aim on the wrong target. The substance of the case involves an attempt to uncover cases of corruption, collusion and nepotism. In doing this, academics have their own manner of stating their case. But why, then, are they being pursued for questioning? This is the fate which has befallen George Aditjondro, Christianto Wibisono and now Winters.

It must be said that swapping substance and altering the gist seems to be a strategy favored by the Habibie government. The case of the scanned telephone conversation between President Habibie and Attorney General Ghalib is a case in point. Curiously, it is not the content of the conversation which is being questioned and investigated. Instead, the authorities insist on finding the person who scanned the conversation and have wasted a good deal of time questioning the press, which reported the incident. In the meantime, as any sane person knows, scanning a telephone conversation is one thing, discovering the truth of the conversation's content is another.

The point is, which question must be answered first? The list of examples could be extended, but the conclusion remains the same: Our legal authorities have been going in the wrong direction and are aiming at the wrong targets. They are not chasing the thieves, but the people who are shouting "thief". But sounding the alarm is the job, even the calling, of every intellectual.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta