Franz the citizen and the philosopher

By Santi WE Soekanto

JAKARTA (JP): "There's a deficit of democracy in the current political system here...we already have institutions and components of democracy, but they have yet to work in full capacity."

"In the past year, the closing down of three major publications, Tempo, DeTik and Editor, represented the lowest point of political openness here. We should never have to return to that situation ever again."

That's Franz Magnis-Suseno, a German-born philosopher and head of the Jakarta-based Driyarkara School of Philosophy, critically speaking as an Indonesian citizen, a status he obtained in 1977.

When speaking as a philosopher, however, his tone changes entirely. "Philosophy moves in normative, theoretical realms...and it has no faculty with which it can directly judge what's occurring in reality," he said contemplatively.

"Philosophy can give voice to concepts, principles and considerations, but it is not an agent to decide how their applications will be or what, in certain contexts, can normally be expected," he added.

"I want to say that philosophy, including the philosophy of politics, is incapable of giving credit points on the democratic level of any country," he further explained.

If there are gaps between his two stands, apparently it is not very difficult for the Jesuit priest, who will be installed as a professor of philosophy at the Driyarkara this morning, to reconcile the differences.

Over the past several years, he has spoken in many forums, from small gatherings with students and activists of non- governmental organizations, to widely publicized seminars.

In many of these forums he appeared armed with objective analyses on a wide variety of issues, especially politics. Quite often, however, his analyses are used as "ammunition" by the press and other groups to fire criticism toward various parties, including the authorities.

"Please distinguish (my two positions)..as a citizen I have certain opinions...but they are not necessarily the same with (opinions derived from) philosophical scientific approaches," he said.

As a philosopher, "I would not speak based on what I like or dislike alone," he said. "Instead, I speak about what I obtain from methodological reflections of philosophy...from my readings."

"Wisdom grows and is fertilized by others," he quoted, describing how he can write and speak productively only after reading extensively.

Wayang

Born in Silesia, Germany, on May 26, 1936, Franz Graf von Magnis said he no longer has a kampung halaman (hometown). He came to Indonesia in early 1960s as part of a Christian mission, applied for citizenship in 1970 and became an Indonesian seven years later.

"I have decided to live and serve in Indonesia, so it didn't make sense if I remained a German," he said.

He then dropped the royal title of Graf from his passport and assumed a Javanese name, Suseno, suggested by his senior, Romo (Father) Kuntoro Wiryomartono. The name Suseno literally means "good knight".

His sharp analyses aside, one of the most interesting features of Magnis-Suseno, at least for Indonesian people, is his fluency in Kromo Inggil, the Javanese language reserved for royalties only.

Several of his former students at the School of Psychology at the University of Indonesia, still remember an anecdote he shared with them years ago. Back the Magnis said he admired the local languages so much that he never found any trouble in understanding and translating Indonesian and Javanese words into German or English.

"I know that manis is sweet, pahit is bitter, pedas is hot, asam is sour...but I don't know the exact translation of the word gurih," he once said. "That last word conveys more meanings than delicious, tasty, savory, delectable..."

His fascination with the traditional wayang (shadow puppet) helped him in "understanding and immerse myself in the Javanese people's thinking."

His father, Dr. Ferdinand Graf von Magnis, was the owner of a wooded area where Franz was born. According to the Who's Who of Tempo magazine, the area was at first part of Germany. After World War II, the area became part of Poland.

It was also the four years after the war (1945-1949) which stripped the Magnis family of all of their belongings. They became refugees and had to go to sleep each night hungry.

"At that time, all I was thinking of was food," Magnis-Suseno said.

Which was why his family were shocked when Franz, the firstborn of six siblings, announced his plan to become a priest and go to a country his family never heard of -- Indonesia.

Only young Franz knew the reasons. "I have read about Indonesia," he said.

Human rights

Although admitting that he's not knowledgeable in economics, Magnis-Suseno has many things to say about economic development, too.

When speaking about his hopes for the coming year, he said he wished to see the government introduce improvements in political openness and economic affairs, but without sacrificing what's already good.

On the economy, "what needs to be done is not to scratch conglomerates, but to create conditions where the middle class can have more opportunity to grow," he said.

"We need economic policies which will turn middle economic powers into the backbone of this country's industry," he said. "In industrialist countries such as Germany, it is the middle economy, not the conglomerates like Mercedes Benz, which are the pillar of industry."

Indonesia needs "to strike a balance somewhere. Our economic development has reached a point where more initiatives should be placed on the public," he added.

In the ceremony marking his professorship this morning, Magnis-Suseno will deliver an oration entitled "Solidifying Democracy of Indonesia: A Philosophical View".

"This speech will not refer to any particular situation in Indonesia, not only because it's not opportune, but also because, speaking as philosopher, I can't pass judgment."

"I will not give any criticism or praises," he promised.

Magnis-Suseno did not place great importance on the professorship title itself.

"This is an important rite for this school, because then it can claim that it has added to its list of professors," he said. "For me, personally, this ceremony is not going to make any changes in my working style, researches or my life."

He plans to resume writing soon and add to the 17 books he has had already published. He also plans to concentrate on the study of "communitarianism", a branch of philosophy which stresses the importance of communities as reference for norms and values, including the concept of human rights.

"The concept of human rights has legitimate claims on universality, but it also grows from a certain way of thinking," he mused. "This is where conflicts occur."

The study of communitarianism, he said, is highly relevant to Indonesia. "This is a country which has many communities and cultures, and is now engaged in dialog about the rush of globalization, modernization.."

And the philosopher is off again...pondering at the conflicts, finding reconciliations...