Indonesia told to use South Africa as model of reconciliation
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)