Democracy under trial

Democracy under trial

With the plenary session of the House of Representatives now
behind us, one crucial point is that the process of
democratization in Indonesia has at least been undertaken without
incident to speak of. Under the circumstances, that certainly is
something to be thankful for.

Unfortunately though, it is not yet time for Indonesians to
breath a sigh of relief. For one thing, the surprise declaration
of a state of emergency and dissolution of the national
legislature by the still defiant and ever-resourceful president,
Abdurrahman Wahid, cannot be discounted. Furthermore, even if
things progress smoothly and the democratic political process is
allowed to follow its natural course, the country still has a
long way to go before a final resolution can be achieved that
will guarantee political and social stability for the future.

In any case, however, the manner in which procedures were
followed and the way in which differences were resolved provides
a healthy indication that legislators can work in the manner
expected of our esteemed people's representatives. For example,
the question of whether or not Wednesday's plenary session should
have been postponed -- as was proposed by the National Awakening
Party (PKB) -- in view of the attorney general's testimony that
the President was not involved in two financial scandals in which
he has been implicated, was resolved through majority vote after
deliberations produced an impasse.

Indonesians can only hope that developments over the coming
days and weeks will allow the House to carry out its legislative
duties properly, as befits the national legislature of a nation
traveling along the rough road toward democracy. It is certain
though, whatever its shortcomings, democratic political
procedures are much preferred to mob rule in arriving at
decisions that are acceptable to all.

Indonesians would do well in this context to recall the way in
which the presidential election was conducted and mob action
forestalled during the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
session, the country's highest repository of the people's
sovereignty, in 1999.

At that time, Megawati Soekarnoputri was nominated by her
party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan), as the party's presidential candidate. Even though
the party holds the biggest number of seats in the House,
Megawati lost to Abdurrahman Wahid, who was supported by the Axis
Force and the Golkar Party.

Megawati's defeat and Abdurrahman's election triggered
immediate, though short-lived, violence by her supporters, who
felt they had been cheated of their general election victory.
Then Megawati was elected vice president, and, although it was
not the position she or her party coveted, she used her
inauguration speech to immediately call her supporters to order.
Because of that, violence on a massive scale was prevented.

That causes one to wonder what has become of the spirit of
democratic sportsmanship that seemed to have imbued our
legislators at that time, but seems to have now disappeared.
Surely it would not be too difficult for President Abdurrahman
Wahid to follow in Megawati's footsteps and order his supporters
to stop the violence.

Several people have already been wounded in violence in
Pasuruan and elsewhere in East Java over recent days. That is
tragedy enough. However, unless the violence is stopped and mob
action brought to an end, the biggest victim in terms of the
nation's drive for reform is democracy itself. If that is allowed
to happen, the nation will find itself back where it was before
the reform movement started.

It is therefore in the interests of all Indonesians -- the
leaders and the people alike -- to realize the utmost importance
of allowing the democratic political process to run its course,
whatever the outcome. Wisdom and magnanimity could still prevail
and a compromise still be arrived at, even in a special session
of the MPR.