A dangerous game
A dangerous game
The most talked about topics these days are obviously the June
general election and the repeated armed clashes in East Timor and
Aceh. The first is discussed with optimism while the others with
a feeling of regret and disgust, especially last week's bloodbath
in Aceh, in which at least 40 unarmed demonstrators were killed.
However, in the middle of this mixed public mood, President
B.J. Habibie has managed to steal the show by making a shocking
statement accusing communists, "Marhaenists" and socialists of
plotting to sow disunity among the people.
In condemning the perceived plot, Habibie used the term
"Komas", an abbreviation of the three ideologies never before
heard. It is worth noting here that "Marhaenism" is a term coined
by president Sukarno while leading a militant nationalist
movement during the late 1920s in Bandung. The term was later
popular among his followers, who, after Indonesia's independence,
reestablished the Indonesian Nationalist Party (PNI).
Habibie's contentious statement was quoted by the chairman of
the Muhammadiyah Youth Organization after a meeting with the
President at the Bina Graha Office on Tuesday.
According to Nadjamuddin Ramly, the youth leader, Habibie said
"Komas" was plotting to seize power through terrorist acts such
planting bombs and inciting riots. Recently the nation was
shocked by a powerful bomb explosion in the offices of the
Istiqlal Grand Mosque in Jakarta.
No suspects have been arrested for the crime but many believe
it was meant to make Muslims retaliate against followers of other
religions. The suspects also expect all religious followers
fight each other while the nation is making preparations for the
poll.
However, many observers are not interested in connecting
Habibie's statement to the bomb blast and other heinous crimes
across the country because they were more upset by the apparent
negative intention of the President's remarks.
The President's logic was so unpalatable that it angered many
political observers. Roeslan Abdulgani, a senior nationalist who
was president Sukarno's spokesman and president Soeharto's
adviser for state ideology, said that by making the controversial
statement Habibie's logic is bankrupt.
Roeslan, 84, also said that the statement, which attempts to
turn communists, Marhaenists and socialists into scapegoats for
the current trend toward national disintegration is not only
mistaken but naive.
According to Roeslan, who took an active role in the
Indonesian revolution, the disintegration is rather caused by
resentment toward the centralized power of a corrupt regime which
victimized the people in the provinces to enrich the rulers and
their accomplices. He did not name names.
Roeslan hints that Habibie is an arrogant and frustrated power
holder.
He is not alone in rebuking Habibie. Among the many that agree
with him is H. Probosutedjo, Soeharto's half brother and chairman
of the newly established Marhaenist Front Indonesian National
Party, who said he planned to file a lawsuit against the
President for the statement.
Habibie stressed on Friday that he did not identify
Marhaenists and socialists with communists. The President said he
had been misquoted by the youth leader. He gave the impression
that he did not make the simple-minded statement widely reported
by the media. What he was trying to do was soothe the indignation
caused.
The President has made confusing remarks on many an occasion,
and sometimes they were not without a message. What is clear
through last week's statements is that Habibie is beating a drum
of war against the communists, a stance which sounds untimely
unless what he really has in mind is a witch hunt.
His regime has failed to solve too many tragic incidents, and
by holding the communists and socialists responsible, Habibie
seems to be washing his own hands of any blame for the tragedies.
The act is a suicidal game, especially for someone who wants
to remain in the saddle of power.