Ethnic conflicts pose complex problem: Scholars

JAKARTA (JP): The recent spate of ethnic conflicts constitutes a very complex problem, needing careful management in order to preserve the multi-ethnic country, according to noted intellectuals.

Nurcholish Madjid, an influential Muslim figure, said here on Tuesday that the increasing number of ethnic and sectarian conflicts had a lot to do with the growth of communalism among certain ethnic groups, as well as widening social disparity and political instability.

"Despite modernity, the phenomenon of communalism, with its negative effects, is employed among certain ethnic groups to maintain their existence. Pluralism is just an 'ism', but more and more people are not aware of it. We are still witnessing the people of one ethnic group killing those of another, burning their heads and eating their hearts," he said in a seminar on ethic and religious harmony, which also featured Arief Budiman, chief of Indonesian studies at the University of Melbourne.

Nurcholish, also rector of the Islamic Paramadina University, said that widening economic and cultural disparity and the ongoing political instability have also contributed to the ethic tension.

"Almost all regions whose followers derive from various ethnic populations are extremely vulnerable to ethnic and religious conflicts, which can be triggered by simple and private disputes. However, widening social disparity and political instability have really been behind the conflicts," he said, referring to the disputes in Aceh and Irian Jaya, as well as the recent conflicts in Sambas and Sampit in Kalimantan.

Nurcholish also blamed the former repressive New Order regime for the current ethnic and religious conflicts, saying that, although the strife has erupted in the current era, they were merely inhibited from surfacing in the past.

"The conflicts were not resolved, but subdued through repressive measures, only rising to the surface during the present environment, where the government is weak and the law is not respected," he said.

Arief Budiman concurred, saying the rampant ethnic and sectarian tension was also associated with the repressive military regime.

"The repressive military culture, which has been developed since the New Order era, has contributed to the rampant ethnic and religious conflicts in Indonesia today. If a civilian attacks a serviceman it is seen as an attack on his or her corps," he said.

Arief, a critic of former president Soeharto's regime, said he believed the military's repressive culture had contributed to the ongoing violent tension in Aceh, Maluku and North Maluku.

He said most ethnic tension was caused by external factors.

"The anti-Chinese sentiment has been developed, not because people of Chinese descent speak their own language or are an exclusive group, but because they are held as scapegoats for the economic and political crisis," he said.

According to him, Indonesia must phase out the repressive military culture to minimize sectarian conflict.

He said that, despite the military's tarnished image, it is actually still very powerful, reflected by the absence of its good will in helping resolve ethnic conflicts peacefully.

Merle Ricklefs, director of the Melbourne Institute of Asian Language and Societies, said that moral authorities, especially religious and informal leaders, should set good examples for a moderate attitude among the people.

"Pluralism must be nationally accepted and maintained to advance a multiethnic country," he said. (rms)