New team gets cautious welcome

New team gets cautious welcome

JAKARTA (JP): Observers were cautious over the weekend about
the establishment of the National Reconciliation Team -- intended
to avert national disintegration -- and suggested that President
B.J. Habibie concentrate on immediate problems rather than on
such an "outdated" concept.

Habibie's economic advisor, Frans Seda, former cabinet
minister H.M. Sanusi and human rights activist Sandyawan Sumardi
all suggested that a "more realistic" agenda be adopted, instead.

"It must be clear whether the team's duties are to reconcile
different concepts, views and opinions, or to mediate between
conflicting parties, or a combination of these two," Frans Seda
told The Jakarta Post on Saturday.

He said the team must then decide which parties -- whether
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or other leading figures --
would follow up the programs.

Habibie and the National Commission on Human Rights announced
on Friday the establishment of the reconciliation team to head
off the rising threat of national disintegration and separatism.

The team -- to be manned by cabinet ministers, human rights
activists and other public figures -- is expected to unite all of
the nation's forces, encourage people to turn adverse experiences
into bitter but valuable lessons for a better future and bridge
gaps between conflicting parties in society.

Frans, a former minister of finance, also questioned the
nature of the reconciliation team, including its benefits.

"The conflicting parties are just between the opposition
groups and the Habibie's administration. In such a situation the
term reconciliation is going a little bit too far," he said.

He said the nation's most crucial homework was to create a
strong opposition, especially in the House of Representatives
(DPR). "Until now opposition has only meant street
demonstrations," he noted.

Frans, who turns 72 next month, also supported that former
president Soeharto be tried for sins he committed during his 32-
year presidency. Former minister of light industries H.M. Sanusi
said the general election would be one of the best ways to
achieve national reconciliation.

Sanusi, jailed for nine years by Soeharto until 1994 for his
antigovernment activities, said the government's most challenging
task was to overcome the prolonged economic crisis.

"(Participating in) the general election is our most important
duty as it is through this that people will give their mandate to
the parties they trust to lead the nation," he said.

Sanusi, 77, however, disagreed with those who have said that
the reconciliation team should make Soeharto's trial its top
priority, saying that this could be done later by the new
government established after next year's general election.

Sandyawan doubted the seriousness of the government's
reconciliation program, saying that it was issued while the state
was under strong pressure from the international community.

"Why now? Why not when the riots broke out throughout the
nation (in May)?" he asked. "There are lots of things the
government should have solved but hasn't."

He said he would only welcome the reconciliation team if it
really worked for the sake of justice and civil rights.

Dialog

National Resilience Institute Governor Lt. Gen. Agum Gumelar
offered a national dialog to gain some consensus from the wide-
ranging differences in political perceptions and strategies.

Antara quoted him as saying Saturday the dialog would be an
attempt to avoid negative impacts of potential political
conflicts during the crisis.

In Jambi, the provincial capital of Jambi province, Golkar
chairman Akbar Tandjung said the team was urgently needed to
dispel the image that people no longer trusted the government.

"People's aspirations will be accommodated by the (team) which
hopefully will get the people's support, so problems can be
solved, especially the economic crisis," he said, as quoted by
Antara

"Once national reconciliation is achieved, Golkar will correct
its past mistakes," said Akbar, who is also minister/state
secretary.

Politician Amien Rais said he supported the establishment of
the reconciliation team. He suggested the team cover, among
others, the nation-state concept, and immediate and concrete
actions to settle scarcities and skyrocketing prices of basic
commodities. (prb/nur/imn/swe)