Police and civil society

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.