Soeharto foresees less use of force

Soeharto foresees less use of force

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto foresaw yesterday a decline
in the use of force and arms in the future, saying they would no
longer be effective.

Speaking to leading members of the Indonesian Association for
Social Sciences Development (HIPIIS) at the Bina Graha
presidential office, Soeharto told the social scientists to
assist the government in promoting and enforcing democracy
without victimizing the people.

"In the past, the use of force was often effective to solve
problems, but in the future, people's resilience will be much
more important to ensure the resilience of the nation," the
association's adviser, Alwi Dahlan, quoted Soeharto as saying.

The President expressed hope that social scientists, rather
than just analyzing past incidents, could provide the government
solid input in its efforts to prevent social unrest in the
future.

"The achievements of the (national) development program could
be completely destroyed in a short time, as has been shown in
recent social unrest," Soeharto said.

The President criticized Indonesian social scientists in March
for issuing what he called unsubstantiated analyses of social
unrest.

Over recent months Indonesia has been rocked by ethnic and
religiously motivated violence that has led to death and serious
damage.

The worst violence occurred in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan,
in May's general election campaign, where 123 people, trapped in
a plaza that was started on fire by rioters, were burned alive
after a violent clash among supporters of the election
contestants.

Alwi, the head of the State Ideology Pancasila Propagation
Agency (BP7), accompanied top executive board members of HIPIIS
to report to Soeharto about their program for the next five
years.

The President, however, summoned Alwi later in the afternoon
because he wanted to get more information on the progress of an
ongoing crash course for new members of the House of
Representatives.

BP7 is helping run the course. The legislators will be
inducted on Oct. 1.

"The President asked me about the situation at the Bogor
presidential palace (where the course is taking place)," Alwi
said.

Soeharto kicked off the course for the 500 newly elected House
members on Aug. 9. The course was designed to help prepare
legislators for their duties.

Participants in the six-day course were divided into five
groups of 100. The second group started their program yesterday.

In the May election, the dominant Golkar faction grabbed 325
of 425 contested seats, the United Development Party won 89 seats
and the Indonesian Democratic Party 11 seats. The Armed Forces,
whose members do not vote, was allocated 75 seats.

Critics feared the course was meant as a means of
indoctrination, which would further undermine the already
battered image of the House.

"They are all free. As politicians they are talkative and good
orators," Alwi said about their active participation.

He said the new House members were enthusiastic about the
course.

"When they came, they protested why they should spend six days
at the palace, but when they were finished with the course, they
complained why they were only given six days," Alwi said smiling.
(prb)