'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)