'Jargon creates much suspicion'

'Jargon creates much suspicion'

JAKARTA (JP): A senior legislator criticized the military
yesterday for forever blaming an unnamed "third party" for every
case of mob religious and sectarian violence.

Handjojo Putro said the authorities should stop using jargon
such as "third party" and "mastermind" to apportion blame for the
mass riots.

"This type of jargon can create endless suspicion among the
people and this will not help solve any problems," said the House
of Representatives member from the Indonesian Democratic Party.

Instead, he told journalists, the authorities should catch and
bring to court anyone, without exception, they believe has
violated the law and stirred up public unrest.

Handjojo was commenting on Armed Forces chief Gen. Feisal
Tanjung's claim that the authorities had identified and would
arrest the "masterminds" behind recent riots in Situbondo and
Tasikmalaya.

Feisal declined to name the suspected culprits because the
authorities had yet to collect more hard evidence in order to
arrest them. His statement made headlines in local newspapers
yesterday.

Handjojo said not only would pointing the finger at an
anonymous third party make people of different groups suspicious
of each other but it would also confuse victims of the violence.

"What is more important is to find the root cause of the
problem," he said, reported Antara.

Legal action, he argued, would be more laudable than a
statement because the former would show the public the law was
duly being upheld.

Separately, legislator Aisyah Amini from the United
Development Party proposed the government take rioters to trial
to deter other people from rioting.

"Besides, the government should find out why mob violence is
happening with such a high frequency," said Aisyah, who chairs
House Commission I overseeing defense and security affairs.

She said she believed the mass riots, including the one that
rocked the West Kalimantan town of Singkawang on Dec. 29, were
instigated by irresponsible people for some political purpose.

The evidence, she said, were the leaflets incited people into
joining in the destructive action.

"Certainly, some people had orchestrated the action," said
Aisyah, also a member of the National Commission on Human Rights.

Abu Hasan Sazili, a House member representing the ruling
Golkar party, urged the authorities to get the masterminds
General Feisal has identified and take them to court.

"Prompt legal action is needed so that people will stop trying
to guess who the puppet masters of the riots are," he said. (pan)