CSIS at 25

CSIS at 25

If public attention is a measurement of importance, one might
say that Indonesia's most venerable think tank is sadly past its
prime. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
turned a respectable 25 years of age this month with almost no
notice from the public.

Think tanks everywhere may not draw quite the same attention
as other agencies whose activities have a more direct impact on
public life. But CSIS is an institution like no other because of
the contribution it made to the dawning of an intellectual
climate that has helped nourish growth in the post-1965
Indonesian economy.

To appreciate the current position of CSIS, it is useful to go
back to the late 1950s and early 1960s, during the height of the
Cold War and the build-up to the Communist coup of 1965. During
those dark days, with the influence of the Indonesian Communist
Party practically unchallenged and communist doctrine pervading
almost every segment of public life, intellectuals who refused to
adhere to officially endorsed ideologies and policy lines were
either imprisoned or forced to become non-persons.

During those days two separate groups of young Indonesian
graduate students and scholars -- one at home, the other abroad
-- took it upon themselves to stay in touch. The dialog between
them gave birth to the idea of forming an infrastructure for
developing policy concepts that would be suitable for the new
Indonesia that they knew would emerge.

Thus the idea of CSIS was born. The idea became reality on
Sept. 1, 1971, with the support of the late generals Ali Moertopo
and Soedjono Hoemardani, both of whom were personal assistants to
President Soeharto at the time. The positions of Ali Moertopo and
Soedjono Hoemardani gave CSIS the initial leverage it needed to
grow and develop, though some questioned the organization's
independence due to the generals' close links to the center of
power.

Twenty-five years later the doubts have been erased. CSIS has
grown into a truly independent and professional think tank, and
continues to contribute to an active and healthy intellectual
climate in this country.

But does CSIS still serve the purpose for which it was set up?
The answer is yes, more than ever. Major changes are rapidly
taking place in Indonesia and around the world. New technologies
have closed the distances between countries and new concepts must
be anticipated and dealt with. The thoughts and ideas of every
nation's best intellectuals are called upon to cope with this
tide of change.

Happily, this fact appears to be appreciated in Indonesia.
Other think tanks have since been created, stimulating discussion
about issues of public and national interest, while intellectuals
continue to offer valuable thoughts and concepts. In honor of the
CSIS milestone, we hope that the present climate of open
intellectual discussion will be maintained so that all may
benefit and that we as a nation will not be left behind.