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.