Indonesia is a far-flung nation of 17,000 islands. It began as a modern state in 1949, emerging from the Dutch colonial regime. It has a long history of violence. The English expression "to run amok" comes from an Indonesian term, amuk, meaning to attack furiously.
Arnold Beichman, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution and a newspaper columnist, writes that Indonesia is listed by "the World Bank as the most crooked state in the world." Its citizens claim that people must carry out their own justice because the police and courts do not.
Death penalties are meted out for such crimes as stealing motorcycles, Nike sandals and even ducks. Punishment is often immediate and on the spot, carried out by street mobs. Mere accusation is sometimes enough proof. Undoubtedly people have been executed for petty crimes they didn't commit.
Indonesia sits on the edge of anarchy. Part of the problem lies in the modern roots of the country. There is no common language, no common culture, no compelling national identity and apparently no real will for its residents to live together as a nation. Those privileged to live under the rule of law and at least a modicum of political stability should thank God. (Sources: The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Times. )
