Is Ghalib really a chicken?

Was the presentation of a hen from students to Attorney General A.M. Ghalib really necessary? Do the students really believe that a live hen truly represents what he is?

Since he was appointed by President B.J. Habibie to head the Attorney General's Office, Ghalib has done little to uphold justice during the reform era, especially the cases that are vulnerable to the current New Order-styled government. The slow handling of cases such as the Trisakti shooting, Semanggi incident and Soeharto's corrupt practices are indeed an indication of his cowardice in the face of bigger forces -- the Armed Forces and Soeharto.

As the head of the Attorney General's Office, Ghalib is obliged to uphold justice and try those who committed corruption, collusion and nepotism (known by the Indonesian acronym KKN), as mentioned in a decree of the recent People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), and those involved in the shooting of students and innocent people during the New Order era up to now.

The cases listed below, among others, will serve as a reminder to Ghalib of the agenda for conducting investigations. Some of the cases are already "half-open" so that there should be no reason for not doing or prolonging the process of investigation, even though there are indications of government or military leaders' involvement in them. * The Tanjung Priok massacre in 1984. * Haur Koneng incident in Lampung. * Santa Cruz massacre in November 1991 in East Timor. * The July 27, 1996 incident at the Indonesian Democratic Party

(PDI) headquarters in Jakarta. * Murders and rapes of civilians and other military repression in

Aceh. * KKN-related cases involving Soeharto, his family and cronies. * Murder of Bernas journalist Udin in Yogyakarta in 1996. * Kidnapping of student activists linked to Prabowo and his men. * Trisakti shooting in May 1998. * Murders of reputed black magic practitioners in Banyuwangi,

East Java. * Semanggi incident in November 1998. * The legitimacy of civilian security guards deployed during the Special Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) in November 1998.

Mr. Ghalib will indeed be considered by many as "chicken" if he fails to take speedy and concrete steps in handling those cases in the efforts to uphold justice. Continuous protests and turbulence will only make the situation worse, and are detrimental to our ailing economy.

RIZKY SASONO

Pelangi Indonesia

Jakarta