Sectarian tendencies 'may linger'

Sectarian tendencies 'may linger'

JAKARTA (JP): Observers here warned that sectarian tendencies
would likely linger as the political elite continued to jostle
for power during the period of national transition.

Political scientist Daniel Sparingga of Surabaya's Airlangga
University said symptoms of sectarian discord would persist until
a power balance was reached between the political elite.

He said it was evident that "ideological identities" were now
competing with each other -- Muslims, nationalists, social
democrats and liberal democrats.

The fall of former president Soeharto ushered in a new era of
openness which eventually saturated the political scene as
ideologies and societal groups began competing with each other in
an arena where restrictions had vanished.

"Indonesia's future has been in a critical situation since the
downfall of former president Soeharto," Daniel said during a
seminar jointly held by Kompas daily and the Friederich Ebert
Stiftung foundation here on Friday.

He described sectarianism or communalism as a process of
social and ideological division or competition based on specific
ties, such as regions, religions, race and tribes.

However, the rivalry in Indonesia has reached such a level
that is has seeped into violence.

"Violence, which easily spreads in society, shows the
seriousness of the problems," he said.

According to Daniel, the state's role would likely be minimal
in resolving these problems. Instead, society itself had to sort
out its dilemma, particularly through recognized community and
religious leaders.

He urged various elements within society, including the media
and non-governmental organizations, to take initiatives in
setting up dialogs on pluralism and egalitarianism as one method
of curbing rising tensions.

The chairman of the Commission of Missing Persons and Victims
of Violence (Kontras), Munir, remarked that political
fragmentation was now occurring in the country as it went through
the long tunnel of democratic transitional.

He warned of the dangers of the process which could sideline
respect for human rights.

"Political fragmentation sometimes halts the process of
upholding human rights," Munir said during the seminar.

He gave a slightly different assessment of the various
competing ideologies, saying that politics was fragmented by
groups representing socialists, nationalists, Nahdlatul Ulama
(NU) and Masyumi.

Since the fall of Soeharto on May 21, 1998, Indonesia has seen
a wave of sectarian violence, unprecedented in the last three
decades.

Apart from growing regionalist tendencies to separate, like in
Aceh, ethnic and religious clashes have also swept Maluku for
over a year, claiming the lives of over 2,000 people.

The Maluku violence has in turn sparked a wave of religious
radicalism, with calls for a holy way being voiced by some
segments of society.

The latest outburst occurred on Lombok island, where over a
dozen churches were either torched or damaged.

Political observer Mochtar Pabottingi charged that many of the
problems faced today were vented out of frustration or a
spillover from the repressive policies during the 32-year rule of
Soeharto.

Mochtar even expressed his belief that the ailing former
president was behind many of the tribulations occurring today. At
the very least, his close circle of associates was behind the
sectarian disputes and clashes, Mochtar remarked, while
identifying a former leading "youth" organization figure as being
the mastermind behind clashes and separatist activities in Irian
Jaya. (jun)