Soeharto's trial 'may boost trust in govt'

Soeharto's trial 'may boost trust in govt'

JAKARTA (JP): Taking former president Soeharto to court is
vital to restoring public trust in the government, students said
on Sunday.

Continuing the investigation into Soeharto will not
automatically restore faith, but it would at least be a good
start, the organizing chairman of a three-day student dialog
said.

"It cannot be denied that people really believe the present
government is a continuation of that under Soeharto," the
chairman, Guntur S. Prisanto, told The Jakarta Post, adding that
this was why restoring public trust was vital.

"Many problems have occurred, which can be blamed on lack of
political communication between the government and citizens," he
said.

The dialog was aimed at learning the aspirations of students,
especially those living in the regions. Guntur said the subject
of Soeharto being tried by a court of law came up as a main point
to attain supremacy of the law.

The talk, held at Hotel Pondok Sawangan in Sawangan, south of
here, involved some 100 students from 51 universities and
colleges, including military students, and 33 student groups in
18 provinces, organizers said.

Guntur said there were six main issues agreed upon at the
dialog, including the one on supremacy of the law.

"Frankly, issues brought up by students in Jakarta do not
always reflect concerns of students in the regions," Guntur said.

More issues under the legal sphere were demands to eradicate
corruption, collusion and nepotism at all levels; an end to
discrimination under the law; and a return of community-owned
lands "which were forcibly brought under the control of the
government, the private sector or other related parties".

As to sociopolitical issues, students voiced support for
community demands for separation from Indonesia "if regional
autonomy is not carried out", he said.

For instance, students from Irian Jaya, he said, had remarked
on how human rights were widely abused under the Indonesian
government compared to under the Dutch.

West Irian became part of Indonesia in 1962, and the military
has attempted to crush signs of separatism ever since.

Another point was that students rejected "differences of
ethnicity, religion, race and societal groups being used as a
political commodity".

"We noted a shift in political conflict to religious
conflict," Guntur said.

While Muslim student groups have called for a holy war against
atrocities committed against fellow Muslims in Ambon, Maluku
province, Guntur said this did not mean students were divided.

On defense and security issues, the students said the military
should withdraw from all positions in government, the economy and
the legislative bodies.

Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander
Gen. Wiranto has announced that all active military members in
civilian positions must choose between being pensioned off from
the military if they want to retain their jobs or return to the
barracks. Some governors have chosen to retire from ABRI.

Guntur said students would continue to demand more
professionalism from the Armed Forces and "request a guarantee
that there will be no more military operations anywhere".

For instance, the westernmost province of Aceh was designated
as a "military operation area" from 1989 to 1998, yet despite the
withdrawal of the military last year, continued violence in the
province has led to suggestions that the military reopen a local
command there, which the students rejected.

Rights abuses in various areas were highlighted in the talk,
said Guntur, who studies at the University of Indonesia's School
of Economics.

In the economic sphere, he said students conveyed the need for
autonomy in the use of natural and human resources, a balanced
revenue between the central and provincial governments, and that
the government apply a "people-oriented" economy.

In education, students agreed on the need for political
empowerment among the public and an increase in the state
budget's allotment for education. (anr)