New parties warned of sectarianism<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Two Moslem figures have come out behind the
\nestablishment of religion-affiliated political parties, but a
\npolitical observer has warned against dangers of sectarianism.<\/p>\n
Cholil Bisri, a cofounder of the People's Awakening Party,
\nsaid in a discussion here yesterday the establishment of Islamic
\nparties had its legitimacy from Islamic teaching and Indonesian
\nhistory.<\/p>\n
\"The Koran does not have special verses stipulating Moslems to
\nhave their own parties. But Islam (teaches) that Moslems are
\nobliged to fulfill what is compulsory,\" he said. \"Islamic parties
\nshould be seen as an inevitability.\"<\/p>\n
He said further that in the past, the country had several
\nreligion-based political parties and the government could not
\nprevent Moslems from establishing their own political parties.<\/p>\n
Deliar Noer, a cofounder of the Moslem People's Party, said it
\nshould be the people, rather than the government, who decided
\nwhether Islamic parties were necessary or acceptable.<\/p>\n
\"The people will decide about this in the next general
\nelection and they will decide who should govern them,\" he said.<\/p>\n
President B.J. Habibie's administration plans to hold the
\ngeneral election by mid-1999 and the presidential election later
\nin the year.<\/p>\n
Deliar argued the government did not have any authority to bar
\nthe Moslem community from setting up its own parties because
\nthere were historical precedents from the Dutch colonial era.<\/p>\n
\"Before Indonesian independence, we had two Islamic parties,
\nSjarikat Dagang Islam and Sjarikat Islam and they were active in
\nfighting for the independence,\" said Deliar, whose doctoral
\nthesis was on Islamic organizations.<\/p>\n
\"During the revolution years, Islamic parties were not a
\nproblem to the government and a fair election could be held in
\n1955. And it was tragic and ironic that the New Order regime
\nfroze all parties and allowed only the existing three,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said history proved that a multiparty system supported
\ndemocratization and did not pose any threat to the national
\nunity.<\/p>\n
In the past, parties cooperated and formed coalitions in order
\nto compete with the dominant parties, he said.<\/p>\n
Deliar said it would once again be possible for new political
\nparties to form alliances to push for reform and democratization
\nin the country.<\/p>\n
\"I have witnessed new political parties expressing readiness
\nto form coalitions to push for reform, which is now apparently
\nstagnant.\"<\/p>\n
Political observer Marsillam Simanjuntak said the mushrooming
\nof Islamic parties nowadays could raise concerns about
\nsectarianism among non-Moslem groups and threaten unity in the
\npluralistic society.<\/p>\n
\"I'm not against (Islamic parties) but I do not support them.
\nWhat I want to say is that those parties could become sectarian
\nin nature.\"<\/p>\n
He questioned motives for establishment of religion-based
\npolitical parties, and whether all groups, including communists,
\nin society were allowed to set up parties.<\/p>\n
He concurred that a multiparty system was needed to help
\nuphold democracy and reform.<\/p>\n
Following the loosening of restrictions in some political
\nspheres, groups in society have competed to establish their own
\npolitical parties. There have been more than 40 parties
\nestablished, with the most recent being the People's Awakening
\nParty, which is affiliated to the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Moslem
\norganization but claims to be open to everybody regardless of
\ntheir religious background. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/new-parties-warned-of-sectarianism-1447893297",
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