Wed, 04 Nov 1998

What do people think of the phenomenon of violence?

JAKARTA (JP): The following tables are the results of a poll on what people think about the phenomenon of violence in regard to the Banyuwangi mysterious killing spree. The poll, conducted by the Resource Productivity Center from Oct. 22 to Oct. 27, was jointly commissioned by The Jakarta Post and D&R magazine.

Proof that acts of violence are orchestrated ( %) Narrow field of political goals 56.7 Pitting one societal group against another 30.9 Diverting people's attention from government mistakes 9.6 Revenge by displaced bureaucrats 2.8

The goals of mass violence (%) Scapegoating attempt by the ruling power 53.1 Show of force by those with political interests 23.7 Outsiders' attempts to disrupt local peace 19.0 Personal revenge 12.4 Remnants of Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) showing their power 10.0 Foiling the political agenda of the reform Cabinet 5.8

Quarters benefiting from mass acts of violence (%) The government, including the Armed Forces and the police 30.2 None (benefiting from these acts) 22.5 Political forces engineering these acts 21.2 Political parties (Golkar, PPP, PDI-Mega, PAN, PKB) 14.2 Uninformed laymen 7.2 Members of the authorities harboring grudges/ feeling dissatisfied 4.1

Quarters disadvantaged by mass acts of violence (%) The government, including the Armed Forces and the police 8.6 All quarters (are disadvantaged) 7.3 Political parties (Golkar, PPP, PDI-Mega, PAN, PKB) 4.5 Uniformed laymen 86.1

Things that may trigger mass violence (%) Worsening poverty 47.0 One's weak faith/moral decadence 40.0 Membership rivalry within a party 18.4 Differences in religious beliefs 11.4 The perseverance of a hired killer wishing to fish in murky waters 11.2 Weak government/legal apparatuses 3.0 An ethnic group's inherent propensity to commit murder 2.8 Certain group masterminding a riot 2.6

Those who believe in the Armed Forces's current ability to overcome violence (%) Yes 43.6 No 36.3 Yes but with strings attached 15.5 Unsure 4.6

Those who believe in the Armed Forces' capability to overcome violence in the future (%) Yes 56.4 No 18.1 Yes but with strings attached 22.1 Unsure 3.4

Reasons why the Armed Forces is incapable of overcoming violence (%) Part of political elite's engineering 56.9 Apparatuses are no longer feared 22.6 It is habitual for the Armed Forces to be late in taking action 20.0 Locality of riots always changes 13.4 Apparatuses have limited capability 4.5

Reasons for the likelihood of mass acts of violence spreading to other places (%) Locals are easily incited 33.4 Engineering will continue in different localities 22.9 Possible unless thoroughly dealt with by the apparatuses/government 15.9 Possible unless locals are capable of maintaining harmony 11.6 Evidently spreading to Central and West Java 7.8 Confusing information leaves people in confusion 7.0