Police and civil society

The brutal attack by police on Saturday on the Indonesian Muslim University (UMI) in Makassar, South Sulawesi, strongly demonstrates that the police have failed an important test.

The raid on the UMI campus provided clear evidence that the police were unable to meet their promise to protect citizens.

The bloody incident also proved that the relationship between the police and students has never been harmonious, especially when it comes to street demonstrations or protests.

Unfortunately, the students, too, obviously failed to use their freedom to express their opinions in a proper manner.

It is inarguable that to demonstrate is a person's basic right as an expression of his or her opinion. UMI students, or any other students, have the right to express their disagreement against two retired generals running for the presidency or to express their demand for the release of Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir.

But the students should also be aware that taking a policeman hostage inside the campus does not represent democratic expression at all. Unfortunately -- in the name of loyalty to their corps -- several policemen stormed the campus to free their colleague. The result was bloody clashes between the officers and students, leaving several students wounded, one with a gunshot wound.

The savage attack on the campus was unacceptable and it has brought about protests by students in many parts of the country.

It is no secret that students everywhere in the country still harbor ill feeling against the police over several unresolved issues.

The killing of four students from Trisakti University and another from the University of Indonesia during street demonstrations in 1998 in 1999 was a blatant example of behavior that was always likely to cause ill will.

This has simply added to people's antipathy toward the police, despite the fact that people still need them.

To help the police improve their image and professionalism, the government decided to separate the police from the Armed Forces (ABRI). On April 1, 1999, the police were officially separated from ABRI.

Then ABRI Commander Gen. Wiranto said that the separation should mean that the police would abandon their militaristic behavior and practices.

Responding to the separation, National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar promised that the police would strive to establish improved standards by providing the public with better services and greater protection.

The curricula at bintara (the noncommissioned officers school), the Police Academy and the Institute of Police Officers were overhauled as part of the determination by the police to transform their militaristic image.

Human rights and other subjects related to social and cultural affairs have become obligatory in the academies in the hope that new police officers will become more professional, conscientious and compassionate.

Unfortunately, what happened in Makassar on Saturday was far removed from the behavior of a conscientious and compassionate police force.

Da'i Bachtiar's move to fire three Makassar Police officers deserves a thumbs-up. However, such punishment will not be sufficient.

Da'i should ask all his subordinates in the country to contemplate what the police have done and gained since the force's separation from ABRI.

The police must review their policies to gain the sympathy, respect and trust of the public by doing things that are not against the law. Without intending to evade responsibility, Da'i must ask his fellow police officers to find out whether or not the violence in Makassar -- and also in Ambon -- is part of a larger scenario designed to damage police credibility.

There are myriad problems that the nation must deal with, and if it should turn out to be true that the Makassar and Ambon riots are parts of a larger political scenario, then the nation will have been caught in an unpleasant trap.

The police have no other choice but to use their wisdom and improve their professionalism in order to be trusted by the public.

As law enforcers serving on the front line, the police are obliged to seek the public's respect and trust by respecting and enforcing the law properly, as expected in civil society.

Should the police fail to respect the law, they would undoubtedly lose the people's trust and respect, and thus a genuine civil society would remain a dream.