Towards independent organizations<\/p>\n
An interesting conclusion emerged at a seminar organized by
\nthe Indonesian Democratic Party faction in the House of
\nRepresentatives Thursday: Political party independence remains an
\nillusion in Indonesia because parties are intentionally kept from
\nbecoming independent so that the prevailing hegemony structure
\ncan be maintained. The broad outlines of state policy require
\nthat social and political organizations be independent. However,
\nthe more frequent this assumption is expounded, the more
\nbewildering its message becomes.<\/p>\n
Is this the prevailing reality? If so, which are the parties
\nthat do not wish to see the political parties become independent,
\nand what interest is served by such a disposition? What about
\npolitical morality? The answers to those questions are beside the
\npoint here. If we are only willing to take a brief look at the
\nhistory of our social and political organizations, things should
\nbe quite obvious. Perhaps it is of greater relevance to look into
\nthe question of why our social and political organizations allow
\nthemselves to be \"sterilized\".<\/p>\n
In various meetings and national conferences their cadre have
\nshown themselves to be more concerned about fostering their own
\nindividual or group interests rather than tending to those of
\ntheir organization. It is this fact that opens the door to
\nintervention by outsiders. External intervention does not
\nnecessarily have to take place in the physical sense of planting
\npeople inside the organization, but could occur through the
\ncultivation of neatly packaged interests.<\/p>\n
In our political culture not everyone, political parties not
\nexcluded, is allowed to speak -- much less to build power. It is
\nthis culture which has caused our parties to lose their
\nindependence. The reason is that whether or not they are aware of
\nit our parties see themselves as subordinates of the existing
\npower system. This is the source of endless confusion in the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party, a phenomenon that is now beginning
\nto spill over into the Nahdlatul Ulama.<\/p>\n
In such a situation all talk about the independence of our
\nsocial-political organizations is perhaps somewhat naive because
\nit is actually they who are afraid of being independent. Any
\nleader who dares to show his or her independence is immediately
\nobstructed by his or her own people on various pretexts.<\/p>\n
-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/towards-independent-organizations-1447899208", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }