Madurese association calls for restraint

JAKARTA (JP): The nationwide Madura Community Association (Ikamra) on Tuesday urged all Madurese affected by the bloody pogroms in Central Kalimantan to exercise restraint and allow the matter to be resolved through the legal process.

"Basically, what the Madurese want is for the government to take rigorous legal action and not allow this incident to go unresolved as that would set a very bad legal precedent," Didik J. Rachbini, a noted economist and executive of Ikamra, told a media briefing late on Tuesday at the Hotel Peninsula.

Didik said that the group had also concluded that the conflict was not religious in origin.

"Conflicts can be sparked in various ways. We agree that this matter has no connection with religion," he said.

The group further condemned the "systematic and continuous killing spree" targeting Central Kalimantan people of Madurese descent and demanded that the government protect residents from anarchy "so that the pogroms will not spread to other areas".

Also present at the unusual event were former Bukit Barisan military chief Maj. Gen. Rahman Gaffar, former attorney general Soedjono Chanafiah Atmonegoro, political lecturer Amir Santoso and former army chief of staff Gen. (ret) Hartono.

Hartono, however, did not join the media briefing and left shortly after the closed-door meeting was over.

Didik further said that a crisis center would soon be established to monitor developments in respect of the bloody riots that have forced thousands of Madurese to flee to East Java.

"If there are Madurese hoodlums involved, they must be arrested. But, that doesn't mean the existence of thugs can be used as an excuse to decapitate innocent people," Didik added.

General Rahman stressed that the number of casualties in the Sampit and Palangkaraya pogroms was around 900, much higher than officially reported.

"These victims are a mix of indigenous people and migrants," Rahman said, while urging people in Java to be compassionate and willing to adopt Madurese children left orphaned as a result of the disturbances.

Separately, Coordinating Minister for Social, Political and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono told a hearing at the House of Representatives (DPR) that so far 277 bodies had been identified following postmortem examinations.

"But that number does not include those in the jungles and other remote areas, so the number could be higher," Susilo said.

"We realize that every time there is a conflict it will mean another lost generation for the country," Didik added. (02/edt)