Siswono says unity chosen over democracy<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): If ever Indonesia has to choose between
\ndemocracy and unity, it will certainly pick the latter, says
\nMinister of Transmigration Siswono Yudohusodo.<\/p>\n
Siswono, who was an activist during the heyday of student
\nmovements in the 1960s, told around 200 youngsters attending a
\ndiscussion on democratization on Thursday evening that the need
\nto manage the potentially-polarizing diversity of the nation is
\nof the utmost importance to its survival.<\/p>\n
"We recognize, respect differences among us...it would not be
\nwise to suppress them, because it may create other forms of
\nexpressions which are usually destructive in nature," he said.<\/p>\n
"Differences of opinion are tolerated, as long as they stay
\nwithin the frame of national unity. We don't want arbitrary,
\nunlimited differences, such as the ones shown by people engaging
\nin secessionist movements like Free Aceh or Free Papua," he said.<\/p>\n
He pointed out that the essence of democratization lies, among
\nother things, in the fact that a nation needs wisdom to be able
\nto accept the importance of unity over heterogeneity.<\/p>\n
"Put in the extreme, if ever we have to choose between
\ndemocracy and unity, we will choose unity," Siswono said.<\/p>\n
The discussion was held by the Association of Hindu Youths and
\nalso featured political observer Marzuki Darusman and legislator
\nOka Mahendra.<\/p>\n
"It's very important for us to establish a culture where
\ndifferences are resolved in peaceful, critical, mature and
\ncivilized manners," he said. "We need to manage differences in
\nsuch a way which also fosters democracy, because we realize that,
\nfor this heterogeneous nation, democracy is a strategic
\nnecessity."<\/p>\n
Siswono explored at length various aspects related to the
\nissue of democratization, including the implementation of an
\nelectoral system and the existence of three political groupings
\nwhich he believed were adequate.<\/p>\n
"Democracy as a system does not guarantee that processes
\ninvolved in it will proceed in a democratic manner," he said.
\nSome people, he added, have not advanced from the stage where
\nthey interpret democracy as merely the right to protest and place
\ndemands at the expense of their "duty to give".<\/p>\n
He said democracy tolerates conflicts, but should also know
\nwhen to end them and reach consensus by prioritizing the
\ninterests of something bigger.<\/p>\n
"Democracy is a consensus," he concluded. "Protracted
\nconflicts are not democracy. They are anarchy, and in an anarchic
\nsituation, democracy would not thrive."<\/p>\n
Marzuki Darusman, a member at the National Commission for
\nHuman Rights, focused on the role of youngsters in
\ndemocratization. He warned against political groupings wishing to
\nexploit the younger generation to further their own interests.<\/p>\n
"At present, Indonesian youth is more 'used' politically
\nrather than having political roles of their own to play," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The former legislator from the ruling Golkar organization
\ndefined "political roles" as a more active position born out of
\nthe younger people's own initiatives. "The political function or
\nuse of the youngsters, by contrast, is established by the system
\nwhich does not involve the youngsters only," he said.<\/p>\n
He believed that society should give fair and balance
\npositions for both roles of the youngsters.<\/p>\n
One of the most important challenges of democratization is how
\nto improve the younger people's force within the existing
\nconstellation of social and political structure, he said.<\/p>\n
Only by improving the social and political groupings' roles,
\nhe said, can Indonesia find a more just political process.<\/p>\n
"At present, the existing social and political institutions
\nbehave like a cartel," he said. "They strive to maintain their
\nmonopoly over political representation, have greater tendency to
\nmaintain good relations with the government, and always ask the
\npeople or the public to just understand." (swe)<\/p>",
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