Reconciliation crucial for Indonesia, says sociologist
Reconciliation crucial for Indonesia, says sociologist
SEMARANG (JP): Reconciliation is crucial for the nation to
rebuild trust among its people, political observer Daniel
Sparingga said on Saturday.
"Everybody must be assured that the ideal to help build a
better life for people in the country, including the next
generation, can be fulfilled," Daniel, a sociologist of Surabaya-
based Airlangga University, said.
He said reconciliation would be the best formula for the
current government to bring prosperity to its people should the
past stand between people and the goal.
"Despite the uncertainty, people are becoming more and more
confident that democracy can lead the country to be a wealthy
state," Daniel told a seminar at the fourth Rectors' Forum
meeting here.
He said the difficult situation emerged because the country
failed to properly address the problems generated from the past.
"The endless argument and our inability to find the best
formula to get rid of the old problems relating to human rights
make all the efforts to face the future challenges useless," he
said.
Daniel first voiced his reconciliation idea in Surabaya in
February.
He said Indonesia could make South Africa, with its truth and
reconciliation commission, its model on how to deal with past
mistakes inherited by the previous regime.
"We are obliged to support the concept. President Abdurrahman
Wahid alone is not able to handle all the problems. A positive
response from the leaders, including the House of Representatives
(DPR) and the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) speakers and
the people are needed," he said.
The other speaker at the seminar, Satjipto Rahardjo, agreed to
the reconciliation plan.
Satjipto, a member of the National Commission on Human Rights,
said reconciliation would be the way out for the nation to
channel sociopolitical demands which had piled up for years.
"With a good reconciliation concept, cases which are still
possible to be settled legally would be brought to court. (But)
enigmatic problems would be dealt with by the commission,"
Satjipto, who is also a professor at the Diponegoro University in
Semarang, said.
The Rectors' Forum meeting wrapped up on Saturday with
participants declaring their support for national integration.
In their statement, they agreed to optimize the role of state
and private universities in enhancing national integration.
The Forum also demanded that the government improve the
quality of national education and allocate sufficient funds in
the state budget to improve national education. (har/sur)