Internal reconciliation needed

Internal reconciliation needed

JAKARTA: Civil society will remain a dream in Indonesia if the
nation is unable to settle internal conflicts in the past,
observers said.

Speaking in a discussion on Wednesday, Muslim scholar
Nurcholish Madjid suggested that Indonesia seek a consensus on
how to solve the conflicts, including through national
reconciliation.

"If conflicting parties fail to reconcile, it will haunt the
country," Nurcholish said, adding that the nation should learn
from South Africa's experiences.

Another speaker, Ifdhal Kasim, the director of the Institute
for Policy Research and Advocacy (Elsam), reminded that
reconciliation did not justify impunity for the perpetrators of
past crimes.

The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights has completed the
draft bill on truth and reconciliation and is waiting
deliberation by the House of Representatives, pending approval
from the state secretariat. -- JP