On missing people
On missing people
From Merdeka
Many print media publications have devoted columns to the
discussion on cases of missing citizens because they have
occurred on occasions linked with special political events and
policies not being in tune with the spirit of the constitution.
Journalists' reports have been made on the Tanjung Priok incident
(1984), the Santa Cruz case (1991), the July 27 riot (1996) and
the blood-spilling incident at Gadjah Mada University, Yogyakarta
(1998).
If one reads the history of the world, then one may agree that
it is difficult to prove legally that someone has been missing.
Stories of missing people were rampant during the dictatorships
of Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini and also during the Japanese
militarist period. Also, a host of political tragedies have
occurred in communist countries. Legal matters related to the
protection of human rights are placed in the umpteenth rank of
priority.
It means that if there are cases of missing people from events
which, despite their nature being constructive, have been labeled
by the ruler as a street parliament, unconstitutional practice or
instance of practical politics, they cannot be proven in a court
of law because under the prevailing governmental system it is
difficult to prove that these cases have legally occurred.
During the era of the Japanese militarists, the devil's troops
and the satanic commands were household words, but not the
"shadow troops". The last-mentioned is the title of a Japanese TV
film in which these shadow troops always defended common people.
The power of the Japanese elite's system of political monopoly
with their single majority was very conducive to allowing the
armed forces' abuse of the people.
As a religious nation with a good conscience, we must feel
very much ashamed if outside circles, particularly the United
States, consider Indonesia and the People's Republic of China,
which are quite respectable in Asia, as having ignored human
rights.
Although we have forbidden communism in our land for a long
time, why do developed countries think that our country tends to
imitate the practices/working techniques of a party now banned
but previously closely linked with the international communist
network? It is regrettable that in terms of the ethics and
morality of the world's advanced communities, we insist on
remaining on the list of backward countries.
SUNGKOWO SOKAWERA
Bandung