The price of arrogance

The price of arrogance

The bloody incidents at the end of 1996 and those in previous
years which carried overtones of human rights violations fill us
with deep concern.

What drove these people to such heartless and senseless
actions to find a solution to their problems?

Manifested in the riots was arrogance and a sense of ultimate
power. Power of the majority, or authority, or even a form of
material power.

We can observe this from cases similar to the Situbondo
incident which was spawned by a major group devoted to Islam. All
religious teachings condemn the use of violence to settle
problems. Islam in particular, is a religion of peace and great
tolerance. It does not like to see its communities exercise
arrogance, although Islam is predominant in this country.

We abhor uncontrolled actions in the name of religion. We have
also observed arrogance by certain security officials, whose
sense of power sparked several incidents such as the recent
Tasikmalaya riots.

We agree with House Speaker Wahono who believes that we should
not make hasty conclusions and that a third party was behind the
unrest.

We are not ignoring the possibility that the incident was
caused by a third party who wanted to confuse the situation.

The same can be observed from the case of Bernas reporter Udin
who was brutally killed. We can also observe the case of a
doctor's wife who harmed her maid in such a sadistic way that she
eventually took her own life.

Excessive arrogance creates chronic psychological disability.
These incidents need not have happened if people were more
critical of themselves. God has blessed people and made them
equal. There should, therefore, be no reason for anyone to
dishonor another.

We are, at heart, all the same. Finally, I would like to tip
my hat to the National Commission on Human Rights who aided the
victims in quite an objective and neutral way.

We know that these victims were vulnerable in every aspect.

AGUS SALIM

Sragen, Central Java