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)