Effective action needed to quell unrest: Nasution
Effective action needed to quell unrest: Nasution
JAKARTA (JP): Recent riots in some parts of the country were
caused by people's discontent because the government has been
unable to heed their aspirations, says senior military figure
Gen. (ret) Abdul Haris Nasution.
Speaking yesterday, Nasution said people viewed government
agencies and the national and provincial legislatures as mere
instruments of big businesses that ignore people's needs
entirely.
"It should therefore come as no surprise that the nation had
to witness violent unrest in East Timor, security-disturbing
movements in Irian Jaya, and others," he said.
"Security-disturbing movement" refers to the military's
definition of separatist rebel groups in the provinces of Irian
Jaya, Aceh and East Timor, which were inspired by similar
movements in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, Nasution
said.
He said the violent unrest stemmed from, among other things,
social and economic disparity. People felt they were being
"marginalized" by the encroaching development, he said.
Nasution believes the key to successfully solving upheavals
lies in effective government action that truly serves the people.
Government must not only understand the effects but also seek
out the root of violent unrest, he said.
Separately, KH Ilyas Ruchiyat, chairman of the law-making body
of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem organization, said in Semarang
Friday he felt the riots in the East Java town of Situbondo and
in Tasikmalaya, West Java, were the doings of the masses.
However, he said he did not know whether the perpetrators were
santri, students of the Islamic boarding schools.
He also said violent unrest stemmed from the people's
frustrations because they were unable to enjoy a fair share of
the fruits of development, and of an unfair legal system.
The situation is further worsened with people's reduced
tolerance toward others and lack of social conscience, a result
of jealousy of the display of wealth by the rich and abuse of
power of those in authority.
Chairman of Muhammadiyah Moslem organization Amien Rais called
for due legal process to be given to the case of the nine police
officers allegedly involved in the beatings of the three Moslem
teachers which sparked the riot in Tasikmalaya.
He also called on administrators, leaders and students of the
Islamic boarding schools pesantren to help prevent further unrest
from occurring.
Psychologist Darmanto Jatman called for officials' greater
sensitivity toward people's feelings and concerns as a way to
prevent uncontrollable upheavals.
"The government must be fair and objective in examining anyone
who causes trouble," said Darmanto who is a lecturer at the
Semarang-based Diponegoro University. (imn/har/01)