A fight for existence

A fight for existence

The 42-year-old Moslem Students' Association (HMI) was an
easy target of criticism from both within and without as it held
a chaotic congress in Surabaya last week. The congress was closed
early morning yesterday after electing a new chairman, Taufiq
Hidayat, 29, a post-graduate student of the University of
Indonesia.

HMI, which is known for its fierce fight against communism
before 1966, has been criticized for inaction and declining
popularity over the last decade. The organization has all but
lost contact with life on the campuses, which has been its
foundation since its beginnings in 1947. It has also been accused
of becoming too busy with itself and of being less and less
sensitive towards social changes. Some critics say its leaders
have acted more like bureaucrats than intellectuals who are
supposed to possess the capability to formulate concepts based on
the Holy Koran to heal society's ills.

The way the Surabaya congress dragged on to close one day late
did not help to improve the organization's image. The situation
was such that the emotions and poor sense of discipline of the
delegates made the discussion of serious matters all but
impossible.

The current condition of the organization is a far cry from
that of the 1950s and 1960s, when HMI was led by activists who
later played important roles in Indonesian society. They include
the now retired Lieutenant General Achmad Tirtosudiro, the first
head of the National Logistics Agency (Bulog); Abdurrachman
Gunadirdja, the ambassador to Beijing until recently; Dr. Deliar
Noer, an American-educated political scientist and head of the
think tank of the Group of 50 government critics; Ismail Hasan
Metareum, chairman of the United Development Party; Mar'ie
Mohammad, the minister of finance, and Nurcholis Madjid, a noted
Moslem intellectual, just to mention a few.

But HMI is not alone in suffering such a crisis. The dilemma
has also hit other student and youth organizations. Up to several
years ago HMI still grouped itself with nationalist and Christian
student organizations under the Cipayung Group, which was active
in discussing the nation's problems. These other organizations
are also less active today than they were in the past.

University student organizations have found themselves
severely limited by the 1978 government policy banning students
from involvement in political activities on campus. Students are
now only allowed to channel their political aspirations outside
of their campuses.

This drastic step was taken after the massive anti-government
demonstrations by students in Bandung and Jakarta, and was
intended to depoliticize the nation's campuses. This measure was
followed up by the introduction of the academic credit system,
which compelled students to concentrate even more on their
studies.

In the wake of these moves, each campus event, or gathering of
young people, seemed to have invisible hands mixing in and
throwing their support behind certain candidates for chairman.
The participants of these student and youth congresses slowly
became accustomed to hearing speeches by high-placed people.

The government seems to continue to want to protect itself
from the danger of student political activities. And some
students have claimed that the authorities are afraid of their
power because it was a student movement that was instrumental in
toppling president Sukarno.

But that is now clearly a matter of history. The impact of the
government's policy on student involvement in politics has made
youth and student organizations less and less attractive to young
people, who are becoming increasingly insensitive towards the
nation's problems.

We are afraid that this will make our young people feeble
leaders when their turns come to replace the present generation.

Of course, there is the KNPI, a coordinating federation of
youths, but many people get the impression that it does nothing
more than to toe the government line.

HMI's newly-elected chairman has said that the organization
will reinforce its bases in the campuses in an effort to reform
itself and become meaningful for society once again. We will just
have to wait to see how successful he will be.