Jakarta – Jakarta is home to hundreds of civil society organizations whose activities range from community empowerment to disturbance of the peace. On paper, the visions, missions and purposes of the various organizations – some of which are registered – clearly set them apart from street gangs. However, the behavior of these organizations on the street blurs the line between activism and thuggery.
These organizations often have their own turf, where they illegally control parking areas and collect "security fees" from street vendors. Their competition frequently leads to clashes, which cause material losses and even claim lives.
The latest incident was marked by the brawl between the Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR) and Pemuda Pancasila (PP) on Monday, leaving one man injured, just a week after another confrontation resulted in the death of one man and serious injuries to several others.
While weary Jakartans blamed the absence of tough law enforcement for this escalation of thuggery and violence, most of the candidates vying for the gubernatorial post in the July 11 voting day believe that poverty is the root of the trouble.
Independent candidates Faisal Basri and Hendardji Soepandji and South Sumatra Governor Alex Noerdin of the Golkar party, as well as Surakarta Mayor Joko "Jokowi" Widodo of Gerindra and the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) share the opinion that creating job opportunities will curtail thuggery.
"One of our main programs is providing job opportunities for productive age residents through informal sectors. We will boost small- and medium-scaled enterprises that will employ people with only junior and senior high school education." said Azman Muchtar, the deputy manager of Faisal's campaign team. Hendardji widens his solution to the problem by including programs aimed at improving education levels.
Alex Noerdin's campaign spokesman, Suharso Monoarfa, said that his candidate would map out the real problems first. "We will study the real problems and try to accommodate the needs of all parties," he said, adding that economic motives would be the strongest.
Jokowi has introduced the concept of social intervention to solve the problem. "I will pursue both individual and communal approaches to civil society organizations to bring them to a better place," he said.
Meanwhile, Hidayat Nur Wahid and incumbent Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo consider dialogues among organizations' leaders the key solution. "We will ask organizations' leaders to participate in handling community problems, including security," Hidayat said, adding that he also would allocate a budget for the organizations so they could run positive programs.
None of the candidates see dispersing the organizations as a solution. However, if any member of the organizations gets involved in criminal acts, all of the candidates urge police to take stern action.
"We can disperse illegal organizations but not the legal ones. We have to provide opportunities for them and guide them to do positive things," said Hendardji whose running mate, Ahmad Riza Patria, is a member of the PP.
Nachrowi Ramli, who is the leader of the city-funded Betawi Consultative Forum (Bamus) and the running mate of Fauzi, said that getting the worrying groups together to talk was vital. Bamus is the umbrella organization of dozens of civil society organizations, including the FBR.
As each organizations has its own strongholds in the society, the need to gain their support is unavoidable for the candidates.
Hidayat got Islam Defenders Front (FPI) patron Rizieq Syihab to pray for his victory, while Jokowi got support from former gang leader Hercules Rozario Marshal, who now chairs the New Indonesian People's Movement (GRIB).
University of Indonesia sociologist Ricardi S Adnan said that the problems of thuggery within civil society organizations escalated with the reform era, starting in 1998. "The main reason for these troubling organizations is the lack of job opportunities," he said.
He emphasized the importance of law enforcement. "Law enforcement in this city is so weak. The administration and police don't have any authority," he said, adding that the civil society groups have taken over control. (cor)