21 October 2010

Police vs. Demonstrators -- Indonesian Style...



This rather disturbing image that came through on Facebook shows just how far Indonesia has come since 1998 under the stewardship of Habibie, Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), Megawati, and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). It would seem that the police way of repelling unruly demonstrators is to point guns at them.

I am not advocating that students or others have a right to violent protest. What I am wondering is whether pointing guns at them and shooting them is an appropriate or proportional response.

As to the image. I do not know of its authenticity or lack thereof. I pass comment only on that which I see in it.

4 comments:

Novi Irama Ayu said...

Halo.. salam kenal.. saya merupakan pemula dalam dunia blog dan butuh bimbingan dari senior-senior sekalian. mudah-mudahan kita bisa saling share dan silaturahmi dengan baik. saya akan sangat senang apabila saya di follow balik oleh senior saya ini. terimakasih :)

Rob Baiton said...

@ Novi...

You just want me to follow you back, that's it?

Done :)

Welcome to the world of blogging...

Kimi said...

Wew. It's so creepy seeing a cop pointing a gun at someone. And I can't imagine what I will feel if a cop that shows in the picture pointing his gun at me. :(

And yes, I also do not agree with violent protest. What happen to students these days? Protesting in violent ways, making chaos, kidnapping a police man. Seriously, what makes them think that their message will deliver through such act?

Rob Baiton said...

@ Kimi...

Apologies on the delayed response.

As I said, I am all for people exercising their democratic right to protest through their constitutionally guaranteed rights of freedom of expression and assembly, among others.

But, yeah, kidnapping police officers and the general violence that Indonesian protests degenerate into makes it really difficult to sell the message on what one's legitimate grievances are.