According to speakers at the event, local administrations should engage the public in shaping security policies to ensure that they are well adapted to mitigating crimes reflecting specific societal conditions in any given locality.

Ngadisah, a professor from the State Administration Institute (IPDN), said that security policies in Indonesia are still focused on how to manage law enforcers to maintain security and not on how to encourage people to be part of that process.

“The human touch in law enforcement and policy making is still weak because we have dealt with both through a formal and institutional approach,” she added.

She cited public order officers acting repressively instead of as mediators between the administration’s policies and local society.

In April, public order officers trying to dismantle a shrine to Mbah Priok, on disputed land in Koja, Tanjung Priok, clashed with locals who revered the Muslim figure. Three officers died in the resulting brawl.

Adrianus Meliala, a noted criminologist from the University of Indonesia, said that security policies failed to consider social aspects that could trigger conflict and crime.

“Generally, none of the policies directly address the many variables that spark conflicts,” he said, adding that these included local history and the role of provocateurs.

“Public policy makers such as the government, the House of Representatives and the police should refrain from concluding that a problem is over once the conflict has ended,” he said. “The fire might still be burning underneath, waiting to explode.”

Ethnic clashes erupted in Tarakan, East Kalimantan between the indigenous Tidung tribe and Bugis settlers since last Sunday. Five died and six were injured, while shops, offices and schools were closed.

Adrianus said security policy in Tarakan failed to address the growing social jealousy ignited by economic disparities between the wealthier settlers and poorer locals.

“Not only do the settlers rule economically, they rule demographically as well since 80 percent of the population are settlers while 20 percent are indigenous,” he continued. “No policy has been created to deal with these sensitive issues.”

The lack of qualified local officials, especially in newly autonomous districts, contributed to the lack of creative policies, he said.

“Government positions are either left empty or are filled with people with lower qualifications in these young administrations,” he added. “So what’s the use of increasing the number of districts.”

Administrations needed policies to empower locals to maintain safety to prevent them from becoming troublemakers or gangsters, he said.

On Wednesday, a fatal fracas broke out between ethnic gangs from  Flores and Ambon in broad daylight in front of the South Jakarta court. Three died as 286 police officers failed to contain the melee.

Akira Nakamura, a Japanese professor from Meiji University, said local administrations should cooperate with residents on security.

Local administrations could do this if they could explain the benefits of cooperation to residents, he told The Jakarta Post. (gzl)

Popular

PDI-P will likely be part of opposition: Ganjar

Indonesia one step from Olympics after beating South Korea

Bahlil leads task force to boost sugar, bioethanol production in Papua