The long, winding and stinking road to true democracy<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Since most Indonesians are still \"young\", the
\nmajority of the population in this fourth-largest nation on earth
\nmight not have any recollection whatsoever about the first,
\nviolent-free and truly democratic elections that Indonesia had in
\n1955. Older people, who supposedly were eager voters then, are
\nsuddenly suffering severe amnesia now -- ostensibly due to
\nsystematic brainwashing over the past 44 years.<\/p>\n
According to the great teaching of the past, democracy was a
\nfilthy western import. They said we Asians did not believe in it.
\nSo for all practical purposes in this current reform era, the
\nnewborn democracy can be anything but democracy, particularly to
\ncontemporary and sophisticated Indonesians like Jakartans.<\/p>\n
First of all, democracy means violence. Lots and lots of it
\nhas been happening lately in the city: shootings, kidnappings,
\nbutchering, raping, burning, torturing, carjacking -- you name
\nit, we've now got it.<\/p>\n
Democracy may also mean adopting a new ideology and
\nconstitution. To many minorities in Jakarta -- and some of those
\nwho belong to the single majority group -- democracy could
\ntranslate as the transformation of Indonesia into a theocratic
\nnation. And that, of course, would be the surest and fastest way
\nto civil war.<\/p>\n
Democracy builds tall and sharp fences. Barbwire is everywhere
\nfrom the Glodok and Mangga Dua areas in North Jakarta to the Blok
\nM tunnels in South Jakarta. Even the beautiful lawn surrounding
\nthe Jakarta Stock Exchange building is now littered with ugly
\nnet-like metals.<\/p>\n
Democracy is akin to living like a lab rat in an artificial
\nmaze. Barrier gates (or portal as the local tongue fondly calls
\nthem) have been erected at an exponential rate since the reform
\nera begun. Try driving around in residential areas in Jakarta
\nafter 9 p.m. After stopping and reversing 10 times for three
\nminutes at those roadblocks, you can't help feeling as if you're
\nactually an experimental object in a research lab somewhere in
\none of the Milky Way's corners.<\/p>\n
Democracy has created total confusion, and -- most importantly
\n-- hysterical laughter, which stems from a plethora of newly
\nestablished political parties with lively acronyms. Take PAN for
\ninstance. Many people in the capital call it Partai Amien Nakal
\n(Naughty Amien Party). PKB they call Partai Kiai Buta (Blind
\nIslamic Teacher Party). PDI they call Partai Dagelan Indonesia
\n(Indonesia Comedy Party). And Golkar is Golongan Orang Lihai
\nKarena Ahli Rekayasa (Group of Shrewd People Due to \"Engineering\"
\nExpertise). The latter, of course, claims to be a born-again
\npolitical party.<\/p>\n
Democracy has brought a very colorful person to that white
\npalace down by the National Monument. We now have a passionate,
\nhighly intelligent president who makes funny faces like Ace
\nVentura -- the pet detective -- right in front of state guests,
\nsings ballads like a karaoke champ and swears with a straight
\nface that his predecessor never lied. (Al Gore did a similar
\nthing during the presidential race in 1992. He swore that Clinton
\nnever \"inhaled\".)<\/p>\n
Democracy is a great family outing, too. I was driving in
\nMenteng a short while ago. Supporters of PPP were in front of me,
\nmoving slowly on a gray scooter. Dad, mom and two small boys in
\ngreen attire and no helmets. Suddenly, a small battalion of
\nnationalist PDI Perjuangan approached from the opposite
\ndirection. Same stuff -- dad, mom and two small boys. Only these
\nfolks wore red and rode on a spanking red motorcycle. No helmets
\nat all, either.<\/p>\n
The PPP dad saw his counterpart and immediately beeped his
\nhorn. The PDI Perjuangan dad turned his head toward the PPP dad
\nand beeped his horn. Suddenly, the two families raised their arms
\nand started waving wildly at each other. Wide and pearly white
\nsmiles were exchanged with much enthusiasm. Aaahh!<\/p>\n
My own family, though, thinks that democracy has a strong
\nsmell to it. In a formal letter dated April 6, our neighborhood
\nchief announced that \"registration for the general election can
\ncommence today ... behind the garbage dump on Patal Senayan
\nStreet.\"<\/p>\n
The road to \"true\" democracy in Jakarta, or Indonesia for that
\nmatter, is frighteningly long and winding. It's thickly coated
\nwith blood, tears, fears, disorder, chortles, grins, plus tons
\nand tons of dung.<\/p>\n
But you can bet that I'll be walking down that road to the
\nvoting booth on June 7, 1999.<\/p>\n
-- Binsar Lumbantobing<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/the-long-winding-and-stinking-road-to-true-democracy-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }