Government urged to prevent violence

JAKARTA (JP): Observers are sounding alarms over the spate of violent unrest which has occurred across the country over the past few months and demanding the government take concrete measures to prevent further flare-ups.

Religious scholar Alwi Shihab and sociologists Paulus Wirutomo and Sardjono Jatiman, speaking separately to The Jakarta Post, agreed that steps such as revealing the identities of the instigators of the unrest and taking legal actions against them would go a long way toward defusing tensions in society. In addition, they suggested the government sit down with religious leaders and discuss ways to prevent the manipulation of sensitive religious issues to ignite unrest.

Shihab, a visiting professor at Harvard University's Divinity School, said that unless handled appropriately the recent spate of unrest would further undermine President B.J. Habibie's credibility.

"I have said over and over again that religious harmony must be cherished ... all of the other scholars have also said the same thing. And yet the government has failed to (respond to the warnings)," he said.

He reminded Habibie that chaos and unrest caused great suffering to the people and undermined Indonesia's image internationally.

"The riots are definitely politically engineered. By whom ... we may never know for sure. This creates deep confusion among people. I myself am frustrated," said Shihab, who is also deputy chairman of the National Awakening Party.

He said he was worried that the "organized and continuous unrest" would continue. "I'd say the ones creating this chaos are a nonreligious group who want to destroy religious harmony here."

However, he insisted that despite the strong religious overtones of riots in places such as Ambon, Maluku, the unrest was not triggered by animosity between different religious groups.

"Ambon, and Maluku in general, are known as religiously harmonious areas. I never saw a tendency for Muslims and Christians there to harm each another."

Shihab called for all Christians and Muslims to join hands and stand up for unity. "These kinds of battles are our biggest enemy. The government may not take them seriously, but it's time for the people to stop them."

Asked to comment about allegations, including those leveled by Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid, that former president Soeharto was behind some of the recent unrest in the country, Shihab said, "Well ... it shouldn't be easy to accuse someone. Even Abdurrahman has retracted his statement and said that he believed Pak Harto was not behind this recent unrest ... he (Soeharto) has now put his life in God's hands."

Paulus, a professor of sociology at the University of Indonesia, noted how people today have lost three values in life: guilt, shame and fear.

"Scholars have repeatedly warned about this. The government seems to be deaf ... they (officials) only think of how to stay in power."

"People have lost those (values) ... because of the worsening crisis, a government which lacks legitimacy and the distrust of security forces. All of these things, plus political conflicts between the elite, have been manifested in the widespread riots," Paulus said.

Destroying a civilization is much easier than building one, he added. "What's happening in Ambon as well as in other parts of the country is actually a logical consequence of the piling up of problems such as mass unemployment."

"Ethnic and religion differences (blamed for the unrest) are just excuses. The unemployed have developed a violent tendency because of desperation, hunger and loss of status. They have nothing to lose," he said.

Paulus conceded that not all problems should be blamed on Habibie, who has faced huge tasks during his short term in office.

Sardjono, a rural sociologist at the University of Indonesia, said the government could have handled the unrest better and prevented it from spreading by drawing up a map of areas which were prone to rioting and preparing itself to handle unrest in these areas.

"Maluku, for instance, is a very harmonious area ... historically. Kupang (of East Nusa Tenggara) is the same. But there are areas which are traditionally prone to unrest."

"But as it turns out, the government does not have a good handle on this situation. Why? Because elite groups in the government only care about gaining (power) ... especially ahead of the coming election."

"All I can say is let's start an intensive dialog," he added. (edt)