Sudomo criticized for blaming riot in Islamic group

Sudomo criticized for blaming riot in Islamic group

SEMARANG (JP): The chairman of the Supreme Advisory Council,
Sudomo, has been challenged in public and in court for his
statement suggesting that an Islamic group was behind last
month's rioting in the West Java town of Tasikmalaya.

In Yogyakarta, a group of young Moslem students announced
their intention to file a complaint of libel against Sudomo. They
have already asked the Yogyakarta office of the Legal Aid
Institute to help represent them in court.

In Semarang, scholars questioned Sudomo's inference that
remnants of an outlawed Moslem organization had instigated the
riot.

Sudomo, a Navy admiral who once headed the fearsome Kopkamtib
internal security agency, said on Jan. 15 that many of the recent
disturbances were the work of extremists.

In the case of Tasikmalaya, he reportedly singled out the
remnants of Darul Islam/Tentara Islam Indonesia (DI/TII), a group
which staged a rebellion in 1949 to establish an Islamic
organization in the young republic at the time.

It was his inference that an Islamic organization, rather than
the organization itself, had sparked the riot that drew anger
from some people and questions from scholars.

Eduard Depari, a mass communications expert from the
University of Indonesia in Jakarta, told The Jakarta Post in
Semarang on Friday that given his prestigious public position,
Sudomo should not have uttered statements that could be divisive
for the nation.

"We are close to general elections and we need to have a calm
situation and avoid stirring up mutual suspicions.

"Sudomo should have been more careful not to offend the
feelings of one religious group," said Eduard, who is also the
chief public relations officer at private television station
RCTI.

"His statement is to be regretted," he said. "The fact that
Sudomo is not a Moslem also doesn't help. That's why we saw the
strong reaction," he said.

Muladi, a legal expert and rector of Diponegoro University in
Semarang, said things have changed since Sudomo's Kopkamtib days
when he could go around blaming the extreme left and right for
problems in the country.

"Then, Islam did not have much of a political role and was
remote from power. But now, Moslems are within or closer to the
government.

"That's why any statement using past inferences should be
reworded for the current condition," said Muladi, who is also a
member of the National Commission on Human Rights.

Sudomo could have stated the "extreme right" and not named any
particular Islamic group, he added.

In Yogyakarta, around 40 university students formed a group
called the Young Moslem Generation of Yogyakarta to initiate
court action against Sudomo.

"Sudomo's remarks could stir unrest and give a bad image to
Moslems," Sri Harjono, the group's spokesman, said on Friday.

The group is challenging Sudomo to prove his accusations in
court. "If he can't prove them, then he should retract his
statement and issue a public apology."

Sudomo should resign, he said. "He is no longer fit to hold
public office." (har/23)