The Lhokseumawe tragedy

The Lhokseumawe tragedy

The television newscasts and newspaper photographs we have seen raise the question whether the security measures taken to quell the most recent unrest (in Aceh) were not excessive. Aren't there any other, more elegant, measures available besides using live bullets? We are afraid the wounds such methods leave will be extremely deep and take a long time to heal.

The continuing unrest will most unfavorably affect Indonesia's image in the eyes of the rest of world. Tourists, businesspeople and investors will be even more afraid than they already are to visit or do business in Indonesia. In the final analysis, the bloody incident will subtract from the points which the government's measures to restore the economy have so far scored.

Several people have mentioned the role provocateurs are presumed to have played in the Lhokseumawe unrest. The same kind of claim was made regarding similar incidents which have occurred in other provinces of this country. Up to this day, however, the identities of these provocateurs have never been revealed to the public.

We call on everyone to be more sensitive and to participate in trying to detect any signs of impending unrest. The military and the police need the public's help so they can join hands in trying to improve the situation. First of all, though, (the authorities') credibility must be restored.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta