Great expectations?

Great expectations?

Consider: "In any case, since Indonesia is a country that is based on law and because everyone is expected to respect the supremacy of the law and the presumption of innocence, care should be exercised" (from the March 22, 1995 Post's editorial), and consider: "City police have detained 307 of the 5,340 street hoodlums arrested in their massive on-going operation for alleged involvement in crime..." and: "...Those not found to have been involved in crime have been released, (Brig. Gen. Hamami Nata) said." (Both from the same March 23, 1995 Post city news section article).

I don't suppose your editor would care to amend his assertion, would he? I mean how could the police maintain the presumption of innocence by first arresting some five thousand individuals and only then releasing those who they could not or would not detain? How could the Post's own editorial staff brand all -- even those released -- "hoodlums"? Have I missed something here, like a trial and conviction, or is due process not an Indonesian's due?

Perhaps your editor meant that instead of "everyone," everyone except the city police and the Post's own editorial staff "is expected to respect the supremacy of the law and the presumption of innocence?" Or perhaps he meant that instead of "presumption of innocence," what "everyone is expected to respect" is the Pancasila presumption of innocence -- which would seem to fit with Indonesia's much touted Pancasila democracy (whatever that means)? Or perhaps he was from the beginning just...way off base?

DENNIS L. FIDDLE

Jakarta