Don't incite hatred, ITB professors say
Don't incite hatred, ITB professors say
JAKARTA (JP): The professors of Bandung Institute of
Technology called for restraint among community leaders and the
government, asking that they refrain from using provocative terms
such as "treason" and "mastermind".
The professors issued a statement on Tuesday in Bandung, West
Java, calling for the self-restraint needed for a community fast
developing into a complicated society striving for democracy.
"Within such a situation, people are highly sensitive," the
professors said in the 10-point statement signed by Rector Lilik
Hendrajaya and senate secretary Rubini Soeria Atmadja.
"We should all focus our attention on the question of the
general election, which must be held as soon as possible," they
said.
"Various problems are waiting to be solved before we can
conduct a good general election; one that is free from fraud and
engineering, is direct, open, confidential, honest and fair in
nature," the statement said.
The professors were commenting on the charges of treason
brought against a number of opposition figures by President B.J.
Habibie's government.
Golkar legislator Sutradara Ginting joined the bandwagon of
those condemning Habibie for making the allegations, saying it
was reminiscent of politicking under the regime of former
autocratic president Soeharto.
Accusing opposition leaders of treason reflects Habibie's
deployment of Soeharto's "management of political opponents by
fear".
"It's a new version of an old pattern," Ginting said.
"It's dangerous," he also warned.
Habibie addressed the nation on Saturday -- one day after the
bloody clashes between students and security personnel on
Semanggi Cloverleaf in South Jakarta left at least 15 people dead
-- and spoke of "rebellion" against his legitimate government.
On the same day, police picked up for questioning former
Jakarta governor Ali Sadikin, 71, and freedom fighter Lt. Gen.
(ret) A. Kemal Idris, among others. Kemal, 75, is the former
chief of the army elite unit, the Army Strategic Reserve Command.
The charge of treason was leveled because the two, and a
number of others, signed a joint communique which called for the
establishment of a provisional People's Consultative Assembly,
and the eventual formation of a presidium which would serve as a
provisional government until the elections next year.
Ginting said, "Freedom of the mind simply must not be tried".
Only if the police have found that there were "violations of
the law" should they continue with the case, but labeling people
now as "treasonous" would be "premature", he said.
In a democratic country, Ginting argued, the government must
build "a corridor" for citizens to differ in their opinions.
"Can calling for a federal state be called subversive? Or is
calling for the resignation of a government official subversive?
Was it subversive when the students called for Soeharto's
resignation in May?"
"Freedom of thinking must not be tried... it is different
from an armed rebellion," he remarked. (aan)