Street justice blamed on weak law enforcement

JAKARTA (JP): Rampant acts of street justice in the city recently has stemmed from public frustration over poor law enforcement and the many unresolved cases, scholars said on Saturday.

Legal observer Johannes Sardadi from the Atma Jaya University said many unsolved cases, including those of corruption, had caused people to loose faith in the country's legal system.

"The frustration (over weak law enforcement) has caused people to decide to take justice into their own hands," Johannes said while addressing participants of a symposium on violent behavior, which was held by the university.

Similarly, sociologist Tanete Adrianus Pong Masak said many unsolved cases of wrongdoing and mismanagement by both state and nongovernment officials has led to weak law enforcement.

"The myth about our civilized society has been shattered to pieces," Tanete said, adding that this had added to people's frustration, prompting them to take the law into their own hands.

The city has witnessed many cases of street justice by angry mobs on people who have allegedly committed crimes.

On Thursday, a man with no identification was burned alive by angry locals on Jl. Raya Binong in Curug district, Tangerang, for allegedly attempting to steal a motorcycle.

The burning was witnessed by two unarmed police personnel who were on a routine patrol in the area. But, the two failed to stop the incident as they were outnumbered by the locals.

Previously on June 10, an angry mob at the Kampung Rambutan bus terminal in East Jakarta burned five people alive after an unknown person yelled and accused the five of being pickpockets.

Separately, city police chief Maj. Gen. Nurfaizi called on the people not to blame the rampant street justice merely on the police force.

"Don't only blame the police. Combating street justice is the responsibility of all people," the two star-general told reporters after a ceremony celebrating the police's 54th anniversary at the National Police headquarters in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta.

Nurfaizi said councilors, religious figures and other members of the society must join hands to reduce such transgression.

"Community figures should also tell people of the negative aspects of such actions," he said.

He admitted that the police alone were not able to deal with the matter.

He blamed the low number of police personnel as the main reason for its failure to curb street justice.

"The police officers are often too late to the scene, where the street justice occurs, since our personnel is limited.

"We cannot maintain security in such a huge city like Jakarta for 24 hours," he said.

Since the police are often late to the scene, they always depend upon testimonies from witnesses, he said.

"Witnesses at the scenes, however, are often unwilling to give testimony over the incidents.

"Probably because they were part of the mob who committed the act of street justice," he said. (08/asa)