Indonesia told to use South Africa as model of reconciliation

SURABAYA (JP): Indonesia should use South Africa as a model for dealing with "sinful" officials from the past regime as bringing them to court would waste energy and be unreasonable, a scholar said.

By establishing a truth and reconciliation commission after the end of apartheid, the South African government managed to plainly trace past mistakes committed by the previous regime and implicate those responsible.

"Those found guilty were not tried. They were pardoned instead," Daniel Sparingga, a sociologist from the Surabaya-based Airlangga University, said.

Speaking during a discussion on politics and culture held at Petra University here on Wednesday, Daniel said the multitude of complex problems could not be simply resolved through a normal judicial process.

Daniel said the myriad problems blanketing Indonesian society were like sins inherited from the previous administration.

"No wonder the Indonesian people want those responsible to be taken to court. But due to the large number of people who have violated the law, the legal process would be ineffective and a waste of energy."

He said Indonesia could emulate the mechanisms established in South Africa to reconcile the problems of the past.

"The commission must be run by credible, qualified and non- partisan people. We all know it's not that easy to find such people. But I'm sure they are a few among our 200 million population," he said.

The National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) is said to be preparing such a commission.

"A special team has been formed. The team has visited several areas where rights violations were believed to have occurred, he said.

Minister of Law and Legislation Yusril Ihza Mahendra said on Tuesday that a bill on a truth and reconciliation commission would be submitted next month to the House of Representatives for approval.

Daniel said the commission should investigate all alleged violations committed in the past, and the results of the probe should be made public.

"The most important thing is that the government, through the commission, admits to the mistakes. The government should also pay compensation to those victimized by the previous regime," he remarked.

He did not say what kind or in what form the compensation should take. (Gin Kurniawan)