1995 a major set-back for democracy: Forum<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): This year has been a major set-back in
\nIndonesia's quest for democracy, the Forum for Democracy said
\nyesterday.<\/p>\n
"Anyone with a little knowledge of the political situation
\nwill clearly see that we have seen an extraordinary setback in
\nour goal of a building a modern constitutional state," the Forum,
\nlead by outspoken Moslem scholar Abdurrahman Wahid, said in
\nreviewing 1995.<\/p>\n
In a meeting with journalists at Taman Ismail Marzuki Arts
\nCenter in Jakarta, Abdurrahman singled out the country's
\nintellectuals who indulged in political power play, likening the
\nsituation to pre-independence Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Such "intellectual hoodlums", he said, are fanning conflicts
\nnot unsimilar to the "divide and conquer politics" used by the
\nrulers during the Dutch colonial days.<\/p>\n
The Forum for Democracy is a loose association of some 45
\nintellectuals who got together in 1991 to counter what they saw
\nat the time as a trend towards sectarian politics of the old
\ndays. Its founding came only a few months after the much heralded
\nestablishment of the Association of Indonesian Moslem
\nIntellectuals (ICMI). Abdurrahman, who also chairs the 30-million
\nstrong Nahdlatul Ulama, has been an ardent critic of ICMI.<\/p>\n
"These days we deeply regret that a similar situation has
\ndeveloped," said the statement read by Forum member Bondan
\nGunawan. "There are mutual suspicion. Racial tension is
\ndeveloping and narrow-visioned power politics have become the
\nfocus of many parties, including intellectuals."<\/p>\n
"We remember how the colonial power hired intellectuals and
\nnative elites to play in the political arena and weaken
\nindependence movements," it added.<\/p>\n
The Forum said Indonesia's heterogeneous society has all the
\npotential to build a democratic political culture.<\/p>\n
This however requires tolerance among the various groups in
\nsociety strong enough to override self interest, the Forum said.<\/p>\n
"Primordial" or sectarian politics which are being fanned by
\ncertain groups now can only encourage exclusive loyalties and
\ntherefore enhance the likelihood of conflict, it added.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman said that in view of the trend towards sectarian
\npolitics, official jargon calling for national unity smacked of
\nhypocrisy.<\/p>\n
"The call for unity is inconsistent with primordial politics,"
\nhe said, adding that both the jargons for national unity and the
\nprimordial politics have contributed to the "communication jam"
\nin which people cannot think clearly.<\/p>\n
"We all have the right to primordial orientations; but this
\nmust never gain a formal place," Abdurrahman said.<\/p>\n
He added he has always been sympathetic of ICMI, "but I always
\naim to correct what is necessary."<\/p>\n
Present at the media briefing yesterday were political
\nobserver Marsilam Simandjuntak and philosopher Franz Magnis
\nSuseno, both members of the forum.<\/p>\n
Abdurrahman also lashed out at the government's attempt to
\nsuppress debates about national leadership succession, which he
\nsaid is a major political agenda which the nation has to face
\nsooner or later.<\/p>\n
"Even if we assume that President Soeharto will be re-elected
\nin 1998, we still have to prepare for 2003," he said.<\/p>\n
The ruling political group Golkar has ruled out any debate on
\nleadership succession at the present time, calling it "unethical"
\nto discuss the issue when the incumbent President Soeharto is
\nstill serving his term.<\/p>\n
Even talking about the mechanism to change the leadership has
\nbeen made impossible, Abdurrahman said.<\/p>\n
"The preparation for a healthy political culture, including
\nthe mechanisms of leadership change, is a major undertaking which
\nwe have to begin now," the Forum's statement said, adding that
\nconstraints to thinking and expressing opinion will lead to
\nrestlessness.<\/p>\n
Public restlessness has been further fanned by "vulgar and
\nindecent political transactions ... the products of a closed,
\nlimited and controlled political system," it said.<\/p>\n
The system which has been maintained through five successive
\nelections, "is wrongly based on one leadership figure."<\/p>\n
One-man leadership "has become a burden to a normal management
\nof state affairs," the Forum said. "This has further obstructed
\nefforts to realize the goal of social justice." (anr)<\/p>",
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