Does history repeat itself?<\/p>\n
The birth of new organizations continues with the setting up
\nof Majelis Syarikat Ummat Muslimin Indonesia (Masyumi) last week.
\nMany of these groups bear acronyms similar or identical to well-
\nknown political parties of the past. Political analyst J.
\nSoedjati Djiwandono looks at this phenomenon.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Recent developments in the socio-political life
\nof the nation seem to be symptoms of deep seated problems. New
\nmass organizations that initially appear to emphasize non-
\nsectarian orientations, despite their denials, appear to be
\nrising from the graves of defunct Islamic, Christian and
\nnationalist political parties.<\/p>\n
This does not necessarily create immediate political confusion
\namong the public. Perhaps nobody sees these groups as having much
\nof a direct influence on the Indonesian political scene in the
\nforeseeable future. Their emergence seems simply to constitute
\nthe assertion of democratic rights, particularly freedom of
\nexpression and assembly, which have been curtailed over the past
\nyears. One can easily recall the case of an attempt to set up a
\nnew federation of trade unions and the persecution of certain
\nfounding members of the Independent Journalists' Alliance (AJI)
\nwith its unlicensed but still surviving publication.<\/p>\n
However, the emergence of these organizations could be a
\nsymptom of a much more serious problem. It may well be that the
\nnation is experiencing a crisis of confidence. The public is
\napparently losing faith in state institutions. For some time a
\nloss of confidence in the representative bodies, particularly the
\nHouse of Representatives and the political parties, has been
\napparent. There are also doubts about the independence of the
\ncourts of justice, although in the case of Tempo magazine, the
\ncourts have proven they can take a courageous independent stance.
\nAnd public outcries have been heard against statements made by
\ngovernment leaders on certain issues.<\/p>\n
Some of the causes for this situation are not hard to uncover.
\nConfusion seems to prevail not only among the public but among
\nhigh-ranking government circles. There is obviously lack of
\ncoordination among cabinet ministers and military leaders, which
\nreflects ambivalence and split opinions regarding certain issues.
\nThis may confuse the people. It raises the question of who really
\nspeaks for the government, or the Armed Forces, as a whole?<\/p>\n
More importantly, the authorities seem to be losing self
\nconfidence. Government leaders are becoming touchy and defensive.
\nCriticisms tend to be rejected off hand irrespective of merit.
\nThere is a growing tendency for officials to seek out scapegoats,
\nhowever imaginary, for so many wrongs, some of which may be the
\nresult of their own doing.<\/p>\n
Thus, in the midst of recent praise from abroad for the
\nachievements of the New Order regime, some of which may be
\ngenuine and not without foundation, the authorities have been
\noverly concerned with the possibility of a negative image of the
\ncountry, particularly as relates to the issues of human rights,
\ndemocratic freedom and social justice. Blame is readily placed on
\ncommunists, non-governmental organizations, or the groups that
\nhave been dubbed "formless organizations", as well as nameless
\n"traitors", who are said to be telling "lies" overseas to
\ndiscredit the government and to discourage further assistance for
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
Indeed, the implications of the globalization of communication
\nsystems, borderless states and a more open world, with the advent
\nof e-mail and internet as some of its manifestations, seem to
\nremain beyond the grasp of the generation in power. One is
\nreminded of the period of revolution for national independence,
\nwhen the label "Dutch spies" often victimized innocent people, or
\nof the post-independence years under president Sukarno, when the
\nbranding of people as agents of neo-colonialism and imperialism
\nwould suffice to terrorize political dissidents.<\/p>\n
In light of the current situation, one cannot help but ask:
\nCould it be that history really does repeat itself?<\/p>\n
The writer is a member of the Board of Directors of the Centre
\nfor Strategic and International Studies, Jakarta.<\/p>",
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