Military approach unsound to quell unrest: Sociologist
JAKARTA (JP): A military approach to quell ongoing unrest in the country is only worsening the situation, a sociologist said here on Saturday.
Deployment of the military, instead, had led to more human rights abuses, said Mely G. Tan of the Indonesian Institute for Sciences (LIPI).
Speaking before a seminar on social integration in Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi, she drew attention to continuing unrest in Maluku and Aceh.
Separately in Bandung, West Java, another noted senior sociologist, Selo Soemardjan, said negotiations between Acehnese and the government could only be conducted if troops were withdrawn.
"Withdrawal of the troops will enable negotiations," he said.
More than 100,000 Acehnese have become refugees in their homeland, as a result of threats of armed violence either from the Free Aceh Movement or from security personnel.
Last week 440 police members arrived in Lhokseumawe, North Aceh, and 7,000 more soldiers were expected, police said, to help take action against armed groups. Meanwhile 200 combat troop members were sent home on completion of their assignment to secure the province ahead of the June polls.
Activists say the troops sent to crush unidentified armed groups and the Free Aceh Movement has led to rights abuses, and the victimization of unarmed residents.
In Ambon, the Maluku capital, 21 died in clashes between Muslims and Christians last week, while tens of thousands of residents are still in refugee shelters. The violence has killed some 300 people since January.
In Batam last week 14 were killed in an ethnic dispute between Flores and Batak residents.
"Apart from the lack of firmness on the part of the government, the social unrest is caused by the political elite which are only looking out for their individual interests," Mely said before addressing the talk on social integration.
She said a continuing lack of justice, not ethnic or religious differences, was a better explanation for the unrest. She said instead of a military approach, the government should enforce the law and provide justice to all parties.
In Bogor, West Java, an executive of the influential Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama, Mustofa Bisri, said the long-term marginalization of people contributed to the current unrest.
"The reform (movement) arrived with the determination to end the culture of violence here and remind Indonesians to stick together," Mustofa said.
Meanwhile, the Antara news agency reported from Ambon that Sunday mass was conducted under the watchful eyes of security personnel.
Thousands of refugees left their shelters to join the mass at the Silo church, where sermons urged an end to the violence.
Witnesses have said refugees, many of whom lost relatives in the violence this year, were involved in pelting public transport during last week's incident.
As of Sunday evening, calm had returned to the capital. While many businesses were open, only a few shoppers ventured out for daily needs, which have increased in price since the trouble erupted last week. (27/21/anr/43)