Authority In Indonesia

Are the authorities in Indonesia love to overshow their power? Lately, if you watched Indonesian news there were plenty of incidents involving the authority and common people. Click here to read about the most recent case between the people of Altas Tlogo village, Lekok, Pasuruan and the Navy. The conflict was started because of a land dispute. The Navy was going to use the disputed land as a military zone, but the Pasuruan people believed that they are the rightfully owner although they have lost in court.
What happened on 30th of May still make me confused. The authority, in this case the Navy, has a job and that is to ensure the safety of their people. But instead of maintaining the security they started shooting at the people. Four people are dead because of the ricochet of bullets fired by the Navy as a warning. The warning shot was fired because the villagers turned violence and started to throw small rocks at the patrolling Navy. At least that's what the Navy claimed. But the villagers said that they heard a series of shot aimed at their home. Only then they started to approach the soldiers and were mad because of the casualties.
From the neutral point of view, we don't know the real story. But engaging and shooting people who were unarmed is definitely wrong. The investigation is still going, and thirteen have been set as defendant. Hopefully whoever is wrong will be brought to justice eventhough that will not bring the dead back to life, at least it will make the family who lost their loved ones fill ease.
Another case is a real experience I have just experienced yesterday. I was driving with my wife and came into a junction. I was headed east and from my left or north side there was this car who was going to go north also. I have blown my horn, but the driver, who then said that he didn't see my car, just keep on going. I managed to brake and stir a little to right, thus I didn't hit his car. But unfortunately for me, my car was hit from behind. Now guess who was driving that car behind me. Yup, you guess it right. An authority man this time it's a policeman. He wasn't wearing his uniform so I guess he was already off duty.
After the collision, the three of us stopped at the side of the road. The policeman came out real quick, and he was even quicker saying that I was to blame. I, if you don't know me yet, am also a hot tempered man. I didn't like being blamed like that, I said to the policeman that the driver who was in front of me, cut my road. That's why I had to break suddenly and stirred a little bit to the right. Maybe my voice was also in high tone, he didn't accept being shout at. He threaten to bring this matter to court, he even said that if he was found guilty he will pay for all the damage. It was then an argument between me and that policeman, the guy who was the source of this problem was the middle man. He tried to give the solution and admitting that he caused this incident.
The reason the guy was in a hurry because he was trying to go to the hospital to see his brother who was sick. Hearing this reason and the fact that he already admitted his fault and his promise to pay half the cost of repairing the damage made me suddenly think. Why was I short fused back there? I found the answer to that later, I was not happy being blamed by the policeman. That's why I had the argument. At last, the matter was cleared and I told the guy that I won't take his money only if the policeman also didn't charge me with anything. We then had an agreement that it was merely an accident. Accidents happened right?
But still this show that there is an urge to show your power if you are a man of authority in Indonesia. I then shook the policeman's hand and not to forget telling him that I was a man of authority myself. Not authority with guns but I am responsible for the education of many people (I am a lecturer, am i not?).