Justice seekers need quick solution

Justice seekers need quick solution

I have received several reactions to my letter Justice at a
Price, (The Jakarta Post, Jan. 28, 2000) and I sincerely thank
those who took the time to react, either favorably or
unfavorably, and even tracked me down on the phone.

May I reply to all of these people in the short missive that
follows?

Those who have reacted with dismay and even outrage at what I
proposed in my previous letter should remember that hypocrisy,
cowardice, greed and a stubborn, blind, ego-directed refusal to
acknowledge what is wrong with us and our society are causing the
greatest damage to Indonesia at present.

According to Transparency International's findings in October
1999, Indonesia was the world's third most corrupt country. Would
all of us Indonesians prefer putting off exercising damage
control until our country has become number one on this list of
ignominy?

Remember the Dutch proverb: Zachte heelmeesters maken
stinkende wonden (which freely translates as: Too gentle surgeons
make stinking, suppurating wounds).

Many people, including those in the legal profession,
ostentatiously display faithful adherence to the tenets of a
certain religion -- yet when the Creator they claim to worship
requests them to courageously combat evil and right blatant
wrongs in order to create a better society, these very people
quickly look the other way, as they are terribly afraid that
their incomes or jobs will suffer. Apparently they do not realize
that the Creator himself is the source of all we humans have --
including our incomes and jobs, and that He will help us to live
and survive if we do right. So where is the evidence of these
people's actual devotion to Him?

Regarding Indonesia's justice-seekers -- a great many of them
are not rolling in wealth, and even have difficulty making ends
meet as the economic crisis is still very much in evidence. Yet
these people are often desperately seeking a legal solution for
their troubles -- which they cannot as yet obtain in the courts,
as this requires a large amount of money, which they simply do
not possess. And even the Legal Aid Institute requires some funds
just to operate. Must these economically disadvantaged justice-
seekers wait forever for a legal solution?

I wholly agree with those who maintain that there are still
many decent and honest judges around, and that they cannot all be
corrupt. Yet if "one rotten apple can decay a bushel", as the
proverb goes, many of these rotten apples will soon cause the
whole bushel to be thrown into the garbage pail. For this reason,
Indonesian judges who have true integrity and honesty, as well as
those who are thoroughly repentant for the grievous sins they
have committed in the past, will not hesitate to sign the
statement I proposed.

As for the Association of Indonesian Lawyers, whom I asked to
stand up and join forces to create my proposed statement, I now
sincerely plead with you: Now is the time for you to restore
dignity and honor to your profession and to the law. Start
practicing true law. Start by disciplining the courts. Give
justice-seekers the security of knowing that they can seek
justice without being skinned alive, financially speaking. By
doing this, you will greatly assist Indonesia in regaining the
honor and trust foreigners used to have in her.

TAMI KOESTOMO

Bogor, West Java