Genuine dialog stems from mutual trust<\/p>\n
By Mochtar Buchori<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Gen. Wiranto's offer of dialog with university
\nstudents to ease existing political tensions seems to have hit a
\nsnag. No single group of students believes that it is possible at
\nthis moment in time to hold an honest and sincere dialog with the
\nArmed Forces. Their distrust and suspicion of the Armed Forces
\nand the entire government apparatus is so deeply entrenched that
\nit seems impossible to surmount.<\/p>\n
This is an unhealthy situation, and very worrying. So much so
\nthat Gen. (ret) Rudini, formerly the minister of home affairs and
\nArmy chief of staff, felt obliged to advise students to accept
\nthe offer. He assured the students that Gen. Wiranto was serious
\nabout the offer and that the proposed dialog was not meant to
\nstifle or restrict their freedom of expression, but that it was
\nsincerely intended to accommodate their political aspirations.<\/p>\n
On another occasion, Lt. Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Armed
\nForces Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs, expressed regret that
\nstudents had rejected the offer. He looked upon this snub as a
\nmanifestation of student antipathy toward the Armed Forces. He
\nassured students that the Armed Forces did not have any bad
\nintentions or hidden agenda behind the invitation. He too argued
\nthat the proposed dialog was an attempt to include student views
\nin the political decision making process, not to dampen their
\nvoice.<\/p>\n
Will these assurances change student attitudes and perceptions
\nof the generals, the Armed Forces and the government?<\/p>\n
I am afraid not. As far as I can see, the rejection has been
\nborn out of a deep distrust of the government and the Armed
\nForces, who are the main instrument of state power. This distrust
\nhas not just come out of nowhere. It has emerged in reaction to
\nthe continuous use of the language of power and violence by the
\ngovernment and the Armed Forces over many years. It is also a
\nreaction to the government's tendency to win every argument, even
\nif it has to resort to dirty tactics, absurd logic, and false
\ninformation.<\/p>\n
Is it surprising that this kind of situation has created
\ndistrust, suspicion and skepticism among university students and
\nacademics?<\/p>\n
Not in my opinion. Anyone who has been trained to respect
\nfacts and rational argument will be repulsed by falsifying of
\nfacts, fabrication of evidence, and the use of rampaging reason
\nto force an opinion upon others.<\/p>\n
The academic community, including students, and the government
\nbureaucracy, including the Armed Forces, have been using two
\ndifferent languages. The two have never before met on a level
\nplaying field. How can academics and students be expected to
\nsuddenly drop their suspicions and skepticism, and come to
\nbelieve that they will be treated as equals in the proposed
\ndialog?<\/p>\n
True dialog can only be conducted between individuals or
\ngroups of individuals who trust each other. No amount of
\nassurance can bring about genuine dialog if trust or confidence
\nis lacking. Without mutual trust, what will ensue is either a
\nmonolog or a mere display of formal politeness. Such an encounter
\nwill not contribute anything toward solving the problems that
\nexist in real life.<\/p>\n
Confidence building is thus a prerequisite to a true dialog.
\nIn my opinion, it is the responsibility of the Armed Forces to
\ninitiate the process of building confidence. This will not be
\neasy because statements made by Prof. Wiranto Arismunandar, the
\nnew Minister of Education and Culture, have deepened student
\ndistrust of the government. He said on one occasion that
\ndemonstrating students were just \"amateur politicians\", while
\nthose taking part in hunger strikes should realize that \"they are
\nnot Mahatma Gandhi\".<\/p>\n
He has also demanded that students offer \"concrete ideas\" for
\nsolving existing problems, instead of just criticizing the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
From newspaper reports it was evident that students were very
\nupset, felt belittled by these remarks and thought the minister
\nwas saying to the world that protesting students were just an
\ninsignificant nuisance.<\/p>\n
This enraged them because they feel themselves to be very
\nsignificant. They plunged into these political demonstrations not
\nto become \"amateur politicians, but because \"professional
\npoliticians\" had failed to acknowledge the political aspirations
\nflourishing in society.<\/p>\n
One academic reacted rather cynically to the minister's
\nsuggestion that students offer \"concrete ideas\", arguing that
\nthis could not be so, since by definition an idea is an abstract
\nconcept. Only after an idea has been put into practice does it
\nbecome real or concrete.<\/p>\n
Why should responsibility for finding solutions fall to
\nstudents? That is the government's job. The government has
\ncreated all these problems by making unscrupulous moves which
\nthey knew would have unpleasant consequences.<\/p>\n
This argument and counter-argument can be extended ad
\ninfinitum. But such an exercise will not improve the frosty
\nsituation or solve anything. If we are genuinely determined to
\nfind a lasting solution, then a genuine dialog to exchange ideas
\nfor solving our problems collectively is imperative. To make this
\nhappen, confidence building must first take place.<\/p>\n
Francis Bacon said that confidence building is the act of
\n\"opening the heart\", which can be done only with a \"true friend,
\nto whom you may impart griefs, joys, fears, hopes, suspicions,
\ncounsels, and whatsoever lieth upon the heart to oppress it.\"<\/p>\n
Can the Armed Forces become a \"true friend\" to the students?
\nAnd can the students in time accept the Armed Forces as such?<\/p>\n
I think the real question is \"How to do this?\", not \"Can this
\nbe done?\"<\/p>\n
The writer is an observer of social and cultural affairs.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/genuine-dialog-stems-from-mutual-trust-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }