Critics invited to join reconciliation team

JAKARTA (JP): The government will soon launch the National Reconciliation Team and invite outspoken critics, including opposition leader Megawati Soekarnoputri, to join, according to Minister of Justice Muladi.

Muladi told the media here on Wednesday that the membership of the team would include government officials, human rights activists and members of various non-governmental organizations.

Muladi said he was still consulting with fellow ministers and the National Commission on Human Rights, which proposed the team's establishment in June, on the team's strategies and objectives.

"The team will be divided into small groups in line with the problems to be handled, such as problems in the economy, politics and social and cultural problems," Muladi said before attending a weekly cabinet meeting at the Bina Graha presidential office.

President B.J. Habibie gave his nod earlier this month to the creation of the team to spearhead the campaign to anticipate rising threats of disintegration and separatism.

Muladi has said the team is expected to unite various elements in society, encourage people to turn bad experiences into bitter but valuable lessons for a better future, and bridge gaps between parties in the community.

The President appointed Muladi as a liaison official between the government and other parties in the team's establishment and creation.

The government will be represented by Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Gen. (ret) Feisal Tanjung, Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto, and Muladi.

Prominent political activists, including National Mandate Party (PAN) chairman Amien Rais, and Habibie's economic advisor Frans Seda have said that rather than establishing such a team, Habibie should handle more urgent problems like food shortages.

Frans, a former minister of finance, said the team would be useless if it was meant merely to tame opposition leaders.

"In such a situation the term reconciliation is going a little bit too far," he said recently.

Amien Rais said he supported the establishment of the reconciliation team but added that it should take immediate and concrete actions to solve the problems of food scarcities and skyrocketing prices. (prb)