Megawati's party must
\nremember past pledges<\/p>\n
Paige Johnson and
\nJulia Suryakusuma
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nin Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle promised to
\nrecognize and support human rights and the various freedoms in
\nmodern democracy, such as freedom of opinion, association,
\norganization, religion, and the press.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan often paid special attention to the freedom of
\na professional press as \"an active link between the public and
\nthe activities and performance of those carrying out their
\nofficial governmental duties.\" Now that President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri is in power, we hope she and her loyal opposition
\nwill remember those promises of freedom. Freedom is not granted
\njust one time. It must be constantly struggled for.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan hoped its emphasis on justice and the rule of law would
\nhelp to remove the causes for numerous crises and problems in
\nsociety: from inter-ethnic conflicts (often themselves the result
\nof various past injustices), to the inequality of women, to
\nsocial disorder. PDI Perjuangan hoped to bring \"people's justice\"
\nto an end with a firm rule of law and a democratic government.<\/p>\n
The party repeatedly vowed to build a credible, clean, and
\nquality government made up of the nation's best sons and
\ndaughters. Obviously Megawati was forced to compromise with the
\nother parties which helped to bring her to power, but the
\nfundamental emphasis on good government in PDI Perjuangan
\ncampaigning should not be forgotten.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan stressed the importance of professionalism, integrity,
\nand loyalty to the whole nation.<\/p>\n
On the military, Megawati often walked a fine line during the
\nelection. She had good relationships with some military officers
\nwho had tacitly supported her in the past. Still, the
\n\"establishment\" military would have reason to fear the rise of a
\nradical reformer intent on overthrowing the military's position
\nor punishing individual officers for past misdeeds.<\/p>\n
Megawati walked that fine line by declaring that she was \"anti
\nmilitarism\" without being \"anti military.\" Still, writing for
\nthe book Indonesia Pasca-Soeharto (Indonesia after Soeharto),
\nMegawati was clear: \"the dual function of the military must be
\nended in stages and in a set period of time.\"<\/p>\n
She repeatedly attempted to stress that the army was of and
\nfor the people and the nation. She often sounded willing,
\nthough, to allow the military to carry out its own \"redefinition\"
\nand \"restructuring\" of its role.<\/p>\n
In her cabinet announced on Aug. 9, Megawati placed four men
\nwho were either active in the military or former military
\nofficers. In Bali, Megawati had said that it was clear which
\ntasks should be filled by members of the military and which by
\ncivilians. Is it clear that the home affairs minister or the
\ntransportation minister must now be a member of the military?
\nNot to us.<\/p>\n
The problems of the military's role in society are wider,
\nthough, than just a few military men in the President's cabinet.
\nThe on-going redefinition of the military's role must be carried
\nthrough all levels of society.<\/p>\n
PDI Perjuangan promised, too, to improve government
\ntransparency and to rid Indonesia of the corruption, collusion
\nand nepotism (KKN) which sucked the country's \"lifeblood\" for 30
\nyears.<\/p>\n
In June 2001, Transparency International rated Indonesia as
\ntied for 88th out of 91 countries surveyed in its annual
\nCorruption Perceptions Index. Clearly, there is still much work
\nto be done. It is not entirely clear to us whether the new
\nattorney general will have the political strength to help
\nprosecute corruptors past, present, or future.<\/p>\n
In its campaigning, PDI Perjuangan adhered strongly to the principle
\nof the unitary state but vowed to encourage decentralization of
\npowers to lower levels of government \"as wide as possible.\" As
\nthe government is now reconsidering the regional autonomy
\nprovisions in an effort to make these more workable, the general
\ntenor of the commitment to decentralization should be remembered.<\/p>\n
Finally, in Megawati's televised campaign speech of June 1999,
\nshe stated that \"making women equal partners of men is an
\nimportant part of the PDI Perjuangan program.\"<\/p>\n
In order for democracy to be realized in Indonesia, women must
\nindeed be full partners, the equals of men. No one can doubt the
\nimportance of the progress that has been made for women in
\nMegawati's personal achievement of the presidency. She serves as
\na role model for both women and men as to what a woman can do.
\nBut, to carry out the party's pledge requires more than just a
\nfemale president. It requires comprehensive legislation which
\nsupports women's position as equal to that of men.<\/p>\n
Closing her campaign speech in June 1999, Megawati said:
\n\"Remember PDI Perjuangan. Remember number 11. The people will
\ncertainly win.\" To her we now say, remember your promises. The
\npeople will certainly win.<\/p>",
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