Frustration and laziness behind new pro-democracy group

JAKARTA (JP): The formation of a new pro-democracy group, the United Democratic People (PRD), which the authorities have quickly declared illegal, reflects societal dissatisfaction with the existing political groups, a political observer says.

Juwono Sudarsono, dean of the University of Indonesia's School of Social and Political Sciences, said he understands why a group of student and non-governmental organization (NGOs) activists established the organization on Monday.

"I think, it reflects efforts to voice public demands which they (the activists) think cannot be accommodated by the existing (sanctioned) groupings," he said yesterday.

However, Juwono said that formation of the group reveals a widespread "laziness" in society.

It is easier for some people to just establish a political movement rather than meeting the challenge of building a strong organization out of an existing party, he said.

He said the current political structure and the sanctioned political groups are adequately open and provide wide enough latitude for people to voice their political aspirations.

"It's just that people tend to be impatient and want a quick fix," he said. "There is a kind of laziness to follow through the existing structure of democracy."

The impatience is one of the reasons a number of people established social political groups or movement "in the name of spontaneity and openness", he said. "However, are these groups effective?"

"Impatient" action such as the establishing of PRD is easier to take than to diligently handle the detailed organizational works such as recruitment, subscription, and holding meetings for policy making, he said.

Democratization

A group of students and NGO activists announced the establishment of the PRD on Monday, saying they were aware of the risks they face.

"This is not a party, this is a grouping of those ... people who want to encourage the process of democratization in Indonesia," said chairman Sugeng Bahagijo.

Coordinating Minister of Politics and Security Soesilo Soedarman said the government would not recognize the group.

"PRD is a political movement and therefore could not be recognized by the government," he said.

Asked whether the authorities would take action, Soesilo retorted, "It's like a car. Are you going to let go a car which has no proper papers?"

"If the new organization is political in nature, then it violates the law," according to Soetojo NK, the Home Affairs Ministry's Director-general for Social Political Affairs.

The Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) yesterday countered the government claim declaring PRD to be illegal.

"Such statements are premature and show a lack of sensitivity about the society's political dynamics demanding more articulation and accommodation," it said in a statement signed by its leaders Adnan Buyung Nasution and Mulyana W. Kusumah. (swe)