Scholars skeptical about Maoist theory

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto's allegation that Maoists masterminded the recent riots received skeptical responses from scientists yesterday.

Amien Rais, Kausar Bailusi and Farid Ali were of the opinion that the sectarian violence in Situbondo, East Java, and Tasikmalaya, West Java, was fueled by socio-economic disparity.

Amien, a political scientist from Yogyakarta's Gadjah Mada University and chief of Muhamadiyah Islamic organization, said he doubted Soeharto's theory.

However, he agreed the socio-economic disparity issue must not be exaggerated to stir up emotions that could lead to fresh rioting.

President Soeharto told Moslem preachers last week that small groups of Maoists masterminded a series of disturbances in an attempt to change the state's foundations. According to him, the groups had employed Mao Zedong's theory of controlling villages enroute to power.

"I would say this is a new version of the old theory about the practices of the Indonesian Communist Party. However, as an academic, I won't accept that (the speculation) right away," said Amien.

Indonesia, the home of 195 million people, saw three major outbursts of ethnic and religious conflict in the last three months. The first occurred in Situbondo, East Java last October, claiming five lives. The second hit Tasikmalaya, West Java, on Dec. 26, leaving four dead. Less than a week later, riots rocked Sanggau Ledo in West Kalimantan. Five were killed.

In Situbondo and Tasikmalaya, 38 churches were set ablaze or damaged, several police posts destroyed and dozens of shops belonging to entrepreneurs of Chinese descent were set on fire.

Several military and civilian leaders have blamed anonymous irresponsible people, wanting to topple the government, for fueling the lawlessness, claiming they were linked to the now outlawed communist party.

Tension

Amien shared Soeharto's view that over exploitation of the issue of disparities within society would only heighten tensions.

"Discussions on inequalities either on TV, in seminars and newspapers must be sustained properly, openly and honestly, so that we remember that those basic problems remain," Amien said.

"We should not keep silent when we watch social disparities before our very eyes, unless we have lost the courage to redress the problems," he added.

Amien called for continuous efforts to be made toward finding a solution to the socio-economic disparities, rather than just words of condemnation.

"Let's try to understand disparities, because by doing so we complete half of our hard work. Failure to understand will lead us to choose inappropriate measures of settlement," he said.

Another political scientist, Kausar Bailusi of South Sulawesi's Hasanuddin University in Ujungpandang, denied allegations that communists were behind the riots.

"The outbreaks were no more than expressions of demand for overall improvement, especially the betterment of people's economic lives," Bailusi said. "The accumulation of wealth in the hands of a few people makes the people sick," he added.

Bailusi's colleague, Farid Ali also said the recent unrest had nothing to do with Maoism. The accusation that communist activists were behind the riots was politically motivated and therefore was irresponsible from a legal point of view, according to Farid.

"Those problems occurred because some people have fallen victim to many of the government's policies," Farid said.

President Soeharto also suggested last week the establishment of an "alert command center" to prevent or handle unrest. The President said the new command could be given the authority to investigate suspected agitators.

Some observers speculate the plan could pave the way for the return of a security system similar to the Operational Command for the Restoration of Security and Order, set up following student-inspired demonstrations in 1974. The government disbanded the command in September 1988 and replaced it with a less tough National Stability Coordinating Body.

Amien said the planned alert command center should be established only to handle specific problems, with its primary function to prevent other riots from breaking out.

"It should not be authorized to question and arrest people, jobs already given to the police," Amien said. (30/imn/amd)