Peace and democracy<\/p>\n
In his letter entitled Indonesian democracy (The Jakarta Post,
\nJuly 23), Sumarsono Sastrowardoyo reminds us not to forget that
\ndemocracy is inherent in Indonesia, \"proved by the mostly
\npeaceful coexistence\" of Indonesians.<\/p>\n
I do not dispute that many institutions in traditional
\nIndonesian society are democratic, and were so long before
\ncontact with Europeans. Nor do I dispute that the capacity to
\nappreciate other choices is a prerequisite for democracy,
\nespecially in a plural society such as Indonesia. I think,
\nhowever, that citing peaceful coexistence as evidence of
\ndemocracy is untenable.<\/p>\n
Democracy is about people having control over how their lives
\nare regulated. It is possible to have peaceful coexistence
\nwithout this, as with Pax Romana and until recently Pax
\nAmericana. The Roman Empire, as with the United States' global
\nhegemony, was successful in securing peace; underneath it all, of
\ncourse, was an iron fist. The problem with this kind of peace is
\nthat it never lasts, as the collapse of the Roman Empire and the
\ncurrent backlash against the U.S. show us. An equally salient
\nexample is the collapse of the New Order regime.<\/p>\n
It seems to me that despite reformasi (reform drive), many
\nIndonesian leaders continue to understand democracy in a similar
\nway to Sastrowardoyo. Perhaps it is time for them to realize that
\npeace alone does not equate to democracy if it is grounded in a
\nfeudal-style rule. Similarly, the rest of us should remember that
\nwhile peace may not always be a good indicator of democracy,
\npeaceful means are certainly the best way to achieve it.<\/p>\n
LUKE ARNOLD
\nJakarta<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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