Issues of the day: SBY blames intelligence in attack

Paper Edition | Page: 5

Aug. 28, p. 2

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is blaming incompetent law-enforcement and intelligence officials for the religiously motivated attacks on minority Shiite Muslims on Madura Island in Sampang, East Java.

“The intelligence services, whether the National Police or the Indonesian Military [TNI], as well as local offices, should have been able to detect irregularities in the communities. The [security] apparatus could have been better prepared.

Actual anticipation efforts were poor. It looks like it was too late,” Yudhoyono said to reporters, after presiding over a Cabinet meeting to discuss the attacks on Monday.

The President ordered National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo, TNI chief Adm. Agus Suhartono, and Law and Human Rights Minister Amir Syamsuddin to travel to Madura to restore peace in Sampang.

“I have asked the leaders of law enforcement agencies, such as the police and prosecutors, as well as the Supreme Court, to enforce the law decisively and fairly,” Yudhoyono said.

Your comments:

I hope the government sends its delegates there as soon as possible. This case of persecution is more serious than that against the Rohingya in Myanmar.

Sudi Smith

It is true the miseries have been created little by little since the first Independence Day. More miseries are being revealed as the freedom to speak, think and write become a part of daily life in Indonesia. At the same time, the number of crimes being revealed engage the media.

It is true Rome wasn’t built in a day. And in Indonesia as a republic, it is only in the last decade that Indonesians have enjoyed freedom and democracy.

I believe many intellectuals and educated Indonesians have seen and learned abroad how modern states are governed.

Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, in particular, has been to “The West” and has many friends there. Even the founder of Microsoft is one of them.

To bring Indonesia into a free and democratic way of thinking and life isn’t so easy, especially when many people are still traumatized as result of the dictatorship, and were gagged and controlled for more than three decades.

However, Indonesia is facing a bright light — brighter than ever before.

Widya Utama

This is another rubbish statement from SBY. He blames everybody except himself.

Every one who has followed this case could see it was getting out of control — this was not a sudden incident — it was ignited some months ago, and has made the national newspapers on a regular basis.

SBY has let the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) to spread fear and hatred across the nation, with their labeling of minorities as heretics/infidels /blasphemy, etc.

The government has a responsibility to uphold the Constitution (in this case — freedom to worship) and to uphold Bhinneka Tunggal Ika.

Those in government positions that actively work against the constitution by wanting Shariah law implemented in Indonesia are committing treason, and should be punished accordingly.

Simon

Is this an opening policy statement aimed at rejuvenating the military branches in again keeping an eye on the masses?

Henry Manoe

What the president has to realize is that his bureaucracies are failing in the performance of their functions.

Rome wasn’t built in a day. This hatred did not happen overnight, and is growing daily.

So Pak SBY, you need to look under the rug to understand that there is latent potency for people within society to destroy one another because of hatred.

Merah