Diverse Indonesia needs strong govt, military says
Diverse Indonesia needs strong govt, military says
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia, as a developing country with great
diversity and potential for internal unrest, needs a strong
government but not at the expense of its people, a senior
military officer said yesterday.
Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief of Sociopolitical Affairs Lt. Gen.
Susilo Bambang told a seminar on human rights, reform and
democratization here that the state and the people must stand on
equal footing.
"One must not overpower the other. Neither one must be too
strong," he was quoted by Antara as saying.
Delivering a paper called The Theories and Practices of the
Democratic State, Susilo said: "I am not saying the government
must be very strong, but a strong government is needed for a
diverse country prone to unrest.
"The key, however, is good relations. Neither must be stronger
than the other. This relationship will be even better if is
'bridged' by a civil society."
In addition to equality, a democratic country should also be
marked by an effective check-and-balance mechanism in the
executive, legislative and judiciary branches of power.
Another feature was transparent and accountable political
process, with democratic values, institutions and practices. The
principle would be reflected in fair, democratic and honest
general elections, in just and good selection and recruitment of
leaders and public policies which accommodate people's
aspirations.
"We have to promise that in the future, especially in regard
to selection and recruitment of leaders, things will be better,"
he said.
"It is the dream of us all to have a democratic Indonesia...
the road is very long but we have to start from now. This is a
very big nation, with great problems and challenges. We need big
steps toward a new, free, united sovereign Indonesia which is
honest and prosperous."
He said the country was at a critical and decisive point in
its history which required all elements of society to be united
in facing the crisis and proceeding with reform.
Founding fathers
Political observer Muhammad A.S. Hikam, another speaker at the
seminar moderated by human rights campaigner Bambang W. Soeharto,
advocated a return to the country's founding values.
Hikam, a researcher at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences,
said that in the campaign for more democratic state
administration, the country had no other course but to follow the
principles laid down by its founding fathers.
He named these as people's sovereignty, guarantee of citizens'
rights, representation, public participation in decision-making,
equality before law, rule of law and accountability of leaders.
"Only with such a paradigm can the state administrator claim
to be democratic."
Success in reaching those principles, he added, depended on
how far the campaign for reform proceeded.
"If reform stagnates or deviates halfway -- the signs of which
have grown increasingly marked -- then hopes for a democratic
state administration would fade."
He warned the result would be the return of an authoritarian
political system, though with different actors and constellation
of the elite. (swe)