'More freedom may reduce protests'<\/p>\n
By Haryoso<\/p>\n
SEMARANG, Central Java (JP): Anti-government demonstrations can
\nbe kept to a minimum if campuses are allowed freedom of expression,
\nobservers say.<\/p>\n
Turtiantoro and Susilo Utomo, both lecturers at the School of
\nSocial and Political Sciences of the University of Diponegoro
\nhere, argue that the lack of freedom of expression on Indonesian
\ncampuses in relation to political and social issues has often led
\nstudents to engage in street protests, a means of expressing
\nideas that local officials very much loathe.<\/p>\n
The lack of freedom could also spur Indonesian students to
\ntake part in anti-Indonesian demonstrations abroad, they say.<\/p>\n
The government has accused three Indonesian citizens of taking
\npart in anti-Indonesian demonstrations during President
\nSoeharto's recent visit to Germany. Two of them, Legislator
\nBintang Pamungkas and chief editor of the banned Tempo
\nnewsweekly, Goenawan Mohamad, have denied the accusations. The
\nthird, Jeni Rosa Damayanti, a human rights activist who is
\nreportedly still abroad, is yet to comment on the matter.<\/p>\n
In separate interviews with The Jakarta Post last week,
\nTurtiantoro and Susilo said the government should not hesitate to
\nallow students the freedom to express their opinions and should
\nnot see the campuses as a threat to national security.<\/p>\n
\"The authorities should not necessarily resort to the military
\napproach in handling student demonstrations at home,\" said
\nTurtiantoro.<\/p>\n
He said that the demonstrations in Germany had not had any
\nsignificant effect on the Indonesia's good name abroad and that
\nthe Indonesian government still had a good image.<\/p>\n
Turtiantoro said that there should be hard evidence before
\nanyone makes an assessment about the significance of the German
\ndemonstrations.<\/p>\n
He said the authorities should regard the German
\ndemonstrations as a trivial matter. \"The case is different if the
\ngovernment wants to exaggerate things,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Turtiantoto added that, if the government wants to obtain
\nobjective data, it should make the best use of all possible
\nsources of information, including the German authorities.<\/p>\n
Susilo Utomo said that the current burning controversy
\nunderlined the fact that the Indonesian government was still
\nunable to accept demonstrations as a means of expressing
\nopinions.<\/p>\n
\"This implies that those involved in demonstrations have to
\nface security authorities. In other words, they face possible
\narrest,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In his opinion, the government should be more open to
\ncitizens' criticisms and allow greater freedom of expression,
\nespecially on the campuses.<\/p>\n
\"What happens nowadays is that security officers move in and
\narrest protesters on the pretext that the demonstrators are
\ninsulting the government,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Susilo said that if the authorities arrested Indonesians whom
\nthey allege took part in the German protests the action would
\nonly be counter-productive.<\/p>\n
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Hartono has described Indonesians who
\nallegedly took part in the German demonstrations as citizens
\n\"whose nationalism is questionable.\"<\/p>\n
Susilo, on the other hand, argued that people could not be
\naccused of lacking a sense of nationalism simply because they
\ncriticized their government.<\/p>\n
\"There are two kinds of nationalism,\" Susilo said. The first
\nkind, he said, was \"my country right or wrong\"; while the second
\nwas what he described as humanistic nationalism.<\/p>\n
According to Susilo, the first model of nationalism -- which
\nseems to be the government's preference -- required a citizen to
\ndefend his or her country's good name at all costs under all
\ncircumstances.<\/p>\n
But a humanistic nationalist could reveal his country's
\nweaknesses abroad, provided his aim was to improve the situation
\nat home, Susilo said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/more-freedom-may-reduce-protests-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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