GKPB aims at preventing past mistakes

JAKARTA (JP): The recent establishment of the Movement for Indonesian Justice and Unity (GKPB) as an "opposition group" to President B.J. Habibie has received much hype, but chief coordinator Siswono Yudohusodo emphasizes that the organization was created more as a campaign against repeating past social and political mistakes than as a government antagonist.

Siswono, who was twice a cabinet minister under former president Soeharto and later became an outspoken government critic, said Wednesday that concern about the severe impacts of economic and political crisis had prompted him and a group of colleagues to launch the movement.

"We want to act as a critical partner against unrighteous policies of President Habibie's administration, including (those concerning) the Armed Forces," he said during the launching of the GKPB on Aug. 14.

Among the past mistakes that Siswono warned of was that the country had never witnessed a change in leadership unaccompanied by social, economic and political turmoil. Whereas many other countries greet new leaders with celebrations, Indonesians feel only discomfort, he said in a discussion at The Jakarta Post.

Another bitter lesson of the past is that the country has been pervaded by a culture of unfairness for decades, he said, adding that society had tolerated wrongdoings and injustices.

Recent revelations of atrocities committed by Armed Forces (ABRI) personnel, protracted conflicts in the Indonesian Democratic Party's (PDI) leadership, the economic, social and political crisis that preceded and followed Soeharto's resignation on May 21 were all "costly lessons in Indonesia's political history".

During the 1992 general election, for instance, the PDI enjoyed the support of 15.5 percent of the country's voters. "This means that there are 15.5 percent of the (voting) population who have been offended by the government's handling of the conflict."

Megawati Soekarnoputri, who was toppled by Soerjadi from the party leadership with the help of the government, was "the symbol of the oppressed...(the symbol) for the politically hurt, who are now reluctant to care whether they can help the government solve the crisis.

"Unfairness has become the government's greatest enemy. It has caused low political morale among the people," he said.

The GKPB itself enjoys the support of former student leaders and activists of the 1966 generation, including former chief of the Army Strategic Reserves Command (Kostrad) Lt. Gen. (ret.) Kemal Idris, former Jakarta governor Lt. Gen. (ret.) Ali Sadikin and former chief of the Armed Forces Intelligence Agency Lt. Gen. (ret.) Arie Sudewo.

Within only a week of the GKPB's launching, more than 3,000 people have declared their support for the movement, with branches being established in Bandung and South Sulawesi. By October, it is expected that the movement will have branches in all 27 provinces.

The organization -- which plans to build smaller "cells" consisting of three to five staff members in various regions -- has joined the ranks of other recently established groups sniping at Habibie's government.

"We will try to color and influence the decision-making process," said Siswono, adding that the organization would rely heavily on lobbying techniques.

Degenerate

Siswono, who has called on the government to have its officials reveal their assets before and after assuming their posts, argued that Soeharto's leadership went through three degenerating periods over the course of his regime.

In the early years of his presidency during the 1960s, Soeharto's leadership was seen as ideological and he enjoyed the support of the whole nation. "People saw him as a person who would bring good to the nation."

However, over the 1970s and 1980s, the national leadership became heavily marked with practices of "remuneration", he said. Officials worked only for the sake of rewards.

In the final years of his 32-year rule, Soeharto's leadership became punitive in nature, lashing out and meting punishment to whoever was critical and against him, Siswono said.

"Among the cruelest punishments were the abductions (and torture) of political activists."

He said Indonesia should now "return sovereignty" to the people. This would necessitate an overhaul of the political system laid in place by Soeharto in which officials were given legislative positions in order to perpetuate his power, he argued.

"Do you think it's right that ministers or governors (who were handpicked by the government) were appointed members of the House of Representatives/People's Consultative Assembly who had to evaluate the president's account of leadership?"

A second necessity, he said, was that justice be upheld. "There should be justice for all groups, citizens, regions...we need to build a sense of justice for all."

He added that the government and society needed to respect diversity and provide opportunities for all to develop according to their capacities.

Over 70 percent of the GKPB's founders and supporters have indicated that they wanted the organization to evolve into a political party and contest the next general election.

"There is a possibility that we will become a political party. But this choice should be taken only if it benefits the nation (and helps to fight) injustices."

Several observers have argued that some GKPB members only wish to further their own political interests.

"When a wagon sets off and all people jump onto it, we can't control who jumps on, whether they are good or bad," he said, adding that the most that could be done was to remind one another of the movement's mission. (swe)