Riots stem from discrimination, say legislator and sociologist

Riots stem from discrimination, say legislator and sociologist

JAKARTA (JP): Discriminatory social policies, designed to
serve the interests of elite groups rather than society as a
whole, are to blame for the recent outbreaks of violence,
according to legislator Hari Sabarno and sociologist Selo
Soemardjan.

Hari, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, and Selo
of the University of Indonesia separately conceded that there has
for a long time been the latent potential for social conflicts in
the country.

Selo was quoted by Antara as saying on Thursday, in East
Java's town of Malang, that he believed the country's present
economic predicament was only adding fuel to this suppressed
social discord.

"It would be better if scientists were to study the matters so
we could gain accurate and reliable information," Selo said.

Hari revealed to The Jakarta Post on Wednesday the preliminary
findings of the House's team investigating the continuing
bloodshed on the islands of Maluku.

"At a glance, it's a religious struggle... but a deeper look
shows it to be unique," said Hari, an active Army lieutenant
general of the House's Armed Forces faction.

He said northern and southeastern Maluku are predominantly
Muslim areas, while both Christians and Muslims live on the
central islands.

But as continued bloodshed was reported from Maluku on
Thursday, Hari said the team had uncovered rivalry among the
indigenous communities and the Buton, Bugis and Makasar migrant
groups from South Sulawesi.

The House's eight-member fact-finding team led by Hari toured
the riot-torn areas for three days ending last Monday.

"Conflicts between local ethnic groups, although of different
religions, could be managed through traditional ceremonies," Hari
said, referring to the pela gandong custom which makes "brothers"
of conflicting parties.

Migrants who came centuries ago adopted the tradition while
those who came only 25 years ago, or more recently, failed to do
so, he said.

More than 100 people have been killed, mostly in communal
clashes, in the Maluku province since January. On Thursday,
another 3,000 refugees, including Ambonese, joined South Sulawesi
migrants returning to Ujungpandang by ferry.

Hari said resentment could be traced to the feeling of local
people that they had been sidelined from the bureaucracy as more
educated migrants took over their jobs and controlled policy
making. Migrants were seen to prosper and secure good educations
for their children.

Migrants, many of them Muslims, came about 25 years ago and
took up low-paying jobs that locals were reluctant to do.

There were suspicions among locals that nepotism led to civil
service positions being given to better connected migrants, Hari
added.

"It is this jealousy that has become the tinderbox which was
recently set ablaze," he said.

Hari said the local and central government should learn from
the riots that they must always consider the public's wishes and
not side with minority group interests in policy making.

The violence in the Spice Islands should serve to remind the
country's leaders that changes must be made to the management of
the nation's diverse religions, races and ethnic groups, he said.

He said that the policy of imposing the same policies and
government structure across all regions should be abolished.
Maluku, for instance, is more familiar with the rule of local
kings rather than subdistrict chiefs.

Activists have also criticized the imposition of uniform local
administrations in the midst of diverse cultural groups, saying
this stifled the diversity.

While promoting such diversity would not be easy, Hari said
that such efforts must begin with the amendment of the 1974 law
on government administration in the regions.

A new draft law on regional autonomy and another on fiscal
balances between the central government and the provinces has
just been submitted to the legislature. But the draft law has
been criticized for failing to address grievances from decades of
power centralization.

Hari said the preliminary findings from the investigation into
the Maluku riots would be discussed with other groups in society
that had visited the region before making a formal recommendation
to the President. (aan)