Indonesia must end the violence

Indonesia must end the violence

Indonesia's first steps towards democracy have been halting.
Citizens of the world's fourth most populous nation have embraced
the chance to make their government accountable. But neither
Indonesians nor their elected officials seem willing to take the
steps necessary to end the dangerous and destabilizing violence.

If Indonesia is to have a serious chance of developing into a
free, democratic nation, it must stop the terrible violence that
has wracked the islands for the past year.

In recent days, the worst strife has been between Christians
and Muslims in and around Ambon. Parts of the Maluku province
have been made into armed camps of the two religious factions. In
Maluku and North Maluku provinces, formerly known as the Spice
Islands, hundreds of people have been slaughtered. Feelings are
bitter, resentment runs deep.

Apart from the deaths and uprooted Indonesians, one of the
saddest aspects has been the response of the Indonesian
government -- or, more correctly, the lack of effective response.
The great violence in the Malukus, in Aceh, in Irian Jaya and
elsewhere was well known during last year's election campaign.
Indeed, the main presidential candidates all promised to end the
violence. They all promised to deal with the root causes of the
killings. To this day, they have failed badly.

Last week's Jakarta protests should give everyone cause for
concern. Participants spoke of a jihad, or holy war, unless
Christians in the Malukus stopped fighting. This alarming
rhetoric obviously took no notice of the fact it takes two to
tango. It is time for all sides -- ethnic, religious, regional --
to pause, think and consider the futures of their communities,
their islands and their nation. Authorities must deal more
quickly, and fairly, to end sectarian and religious violence. In
the Maluku area and elsewhere, the leaders elected in last year's
democratic revolution must take up their responsibility: to lead.

-- The Bangkok Post