The rights commission's recommendations

The rights commission's recommendations

The latest statement issued last Saturday by the National
Commission on Human Rights regarding the July 27th incident
displays some interesting points. The commission stated that five
people were killed, 149 injured and 23 went missing. These
figures differ from those of commission's initial findings, which
listed five people killed, 49 injured and 74 missing.

Aside from the statistical discrepancies, however, what makes
the new statement all the more interesting is the recommendations
made in the context of the July 27th incident. Two notable
recommendations of importance are: first, that any internal
problems affecting an organization be settled in accordance with
its statutes and without government interference; second, that
the use of force be avoided. In the case of it being impossible
to resolve a conflict through deliberation, a legal course should
be taken.

The importance of these two recommendations becomes clear when
one considers the conditions that affect our sociopolitical
organizations at present. With the exception of Golkar, other
existing sociopolitical organizations are frequently beset by
internal conflicts which tend to assume a highly frontal and open
character.

Irrespective of whatever factors may fuel their conflicts --
whether they be of an internal or external nature -- it would be
proper for the government, in its capacity as custodian of
domestic politics, to try to act as a neutral arbiter. Siding
with one of the factions in a conflict, in whatever form, will
never resolve the problem. Perhaps for a while the situation may
be muffled, but the potential for conflict will reemerge and
explode when the time is ripe.

What is needed, however, is not just good sense on the part of
the government alone. Even more important is a willingness on the
part of the conflicting parties to act like adults. Only with
maturity is it possible to bring the parties together and find a
way out. And if this cannot be done, the best way would be to
take legal steps. This, however, presumes that the existing legal
system is capable of taking a neutral, objective and independent
stance.

-- Republika, Jakarta