Is Indonesia a free country?<\/p>\n
Following the 56th anniversary of independence, political
\nanalyst J. Soedjati Djiwandono reflects upon the fact that
\nsovereignty, independence and freedom are different things.<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): There is no doubt that Indonesia is a sovereign
\nand independent country. We have just celebrated the 56th
\nanniversary of the proclamation of Indonesian independence. For
\n56 long years we have been in control of our own country and our
\nown nation. We have been in control of our own destiny. And the
\nsovereignty and independence of any country are limited only by
\nthose of others. This is true especially now in a shrinking, and
\nincreasingly open and interdependent world because of the
\nconstant advancement in communication and information technology.<\/p>\n
Interestingly, soon after his election as the fourth president
\nof this republic by the People's Consultative Assembly,
\nAbdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid loudly "proclaimed Indonesia's
\nindependence for the second time". I have never known what he
\nreally had in mind when making that proclamation, for he never
\nreferred to it again, nor elaborated on what he meant. The puzzle
\nmay be due to a problem of semantics of the Indonesian language.<\/p>\n
A look into the vocabulary stock of the English language,
\nhowever, may shed some light on the significance of Gus Dur's
\ndeclaration. In a speech to the U.S. Congress on Jan. 6, 1941,
\npresident Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed the famous "Four
\nFreedoms". At that time, the United States of America had been
\nindependent for almost 200 years.<\/p>\n
President Roosevelt laid out these principles as a basis for
\nworld peace: "In the future days, which we seek to make secure,
\nwe look forward to a world founded upon four essential human
\nfreedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression --
\neverywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to
\nworship God in his own way -- everywhere in the world. The third
\nis freedom from want -- which, translated into world terms, means
\neconomic understandings which will secure to every nation a
\nhealthy peacetime life for its inhabitants -- everywhere in the
\nworld. The fourth is freedom from fear -- which, translated into
\nworld terms, means a worldwide reduction of armaments to such a
\npoint and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a
\nposition to commit an act of physical aggression against any
\nneighbor -- anywhere in the world."<\/p>\n
Perhaps in a reference to Indonesia's principle of foreign
\npolicy, later on first president Sukarno added to the four
\nfreedoms, "the freedom to be free".<\/p>\n
In 1953, barely five years after the establishment of the
\nPeople's Republic of China, president Liu Shiao-chi advocated his
\nown version of the "four freedoms": to rent and to sell land; to
\nhire labor; to engage in sideline economic pursuits; and to lend
\nmoney at interest.<\/p>\n
But since these freedoms amounted to rights of private
\nproperty in land, they were attacked by Mao Zedong, and never
\nimplemented. Lin was later denounced as a "capitalist inroader"
\nand expelled from the party.<\/p>\n
Indeed, in terms of statehood, many nations have obtained
\ntheir independence. However, the independence of a large number
\nof these nations is yet to be given its contents, "freedoms" for
\ntheir peoples, not just the four freedoms enunciated by president
\nRoosevelt or the four freedoms proclaimed by president Liu Shiao-
\nchi, but all the human freedoms for the achievements of their
\nhigher goals in life as human beings.<\/p>\n
Indeed, we enjoy much greater freedom of expression these
\ndays. However, freedom to have our own views and opinions on
\ncertain things not in line with the "mainstream", especially the
\nofficial lines, remains curtailed. Then the state still tempers
\nwith our freedom of worship through its unjust laws and
\nregulations. For a large majority of the people, freedom from
\nwant remains a far cry from the reality. And freedom from fear is
\njust a wish.<\/p>\n
Americans often say with pride, referring to their own country
\n-- when encouraging or appreciating others' personal views --
\n"It's a free country". My own beloved country definitely
\nconstitutes an independent state. I would hesitate, however, to
\ngive a definite answer to the simple question, "Is Indonesia a
\nfree country?"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/is-indonesia-a-free-country-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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