'Legitimate' leader key to ending social disorder

'Legitimate' leader key to ending social disorder

JAKARTA (JP): Amid the leadership crisis, Indonesia needs a
widely-accepted leader to end the social entropy and
disorganization that has triggered a series of recent riots, a
researcher said on Tuesday.

S. Budhisantoso, a researcher from the center of research and
development at the University of Indonesia, said that Indonesians
have been frustrated and disappointed by President B.J. Habibie's
weak determination to carry out a total reform and uphold
democracy.

"The recent riots that rocked Ambon in Maluku and Sambas in
Kalimantan reflect the people's skepticism over Habibie's
government and the military. This has also led them to take
violent actions as the final solution to conflicts," he said in
the second day of a seminar on civilian-military relations at the
university's campus in Depok.

He said that according to the university's mission to the two
provinces, Ambon turned normal in March but was struck again by
another violent riot because of the local military's inability to
handle the case impartially.

"In Sambas, Melayu and Dayak people were united in launching
attacks against Madurese people after their rights had been
robbed for years," he said.

He also said Habibie's weak determination to try Soeharto and
his cronies as well as the military's brutality in many regions
have caused the people, especially students, to become more
frustrated.

"Moreover, corruptions and collusions are still prevalent in
the bureaucracy," he added.

Budhisantoso, who has conducted numerous researches in
troubled territories in the country, said that the factor of
desperation has been the main reason both people and soldiers
commit violence.

"For example, a group of people living in a forest area in
Torgamba, Riau, grew increasingly restless recently after the
forest was sold by the government as a concessionaire area to a
local businessman. They were driven out of the area after being
accused that they were forest squatters," he said.

He cited that the recent clashes between people and soldiers
in Lhokseumawe, Aceh, which claimed dozens of human lives, was
significant evidence that desperation was a decisive factor in
violence.

"The two sides were involved in bloody clashes after both lost
self-control. Acehnese people have been desperate with the
military's repression in the province, while the soldiers were
forced to kill after failing to control the situation," he said.

Budhisantoso said the people should learn more about how to
live a common life while the military and the National Police
should insert social sciences, especially sociology and human
rights, in their education program in a move to help minimize
violence in the future.

Mochtar Pabottingi, a senior political observer from the
Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), said that a democracy
was a prerequisite for a harmonious and proper civilian-military
relations in Indonesia.

He did not see any urgency to discuss civilian-military
relations unless democracy was developed.

"People's sovereignty should first of all be upheld and the
military's role will follow suit. This means that the people and
high state institutions should be first empowered," he said.

He condemned the New Order regime for manipulating the
military's dual function and the ruling Golkar Party to repress
the people and put them in backwardness for so long.

"East Timor, Aceh and Irian Jaya are clear evidence that
democracy is not upheld and people's sovereignty is not
respected," he said.

Both Aceh and Irian Jaya may have no other alternative choice
than independence unless the government and the military stop
using guns to handle their problems, he said.

Maj. Gen. Agus Wirahadikusumah, an assistant to the Indonesian
Military (TNI) chief on general planning affairs, suggested that
the military should be given a role in political sharing before
leaving politics permanently some time in the future.

He also said that young professionals from civilian society
should strengthen the middle class and enter the political elite.

Mochtar Mas'oed, a political observer from the Yogyakarta-
based Gadjah Mada University, said that democracy was a probable
way out of the economic, political and leadership crisis and many
problems the nation is facing. (rms)