ICMI not a sectarian group

ICMI not a sectarian group

The influential Moslem intellectuals association has just
concluded its congress. Political scientist Amir Santoso argues
that the organization is not likely to take a sectarian stance.

JAKARTA (JP): The line-up of the new leaders of Association of
Indonesian Moslem Intellectuals (ICMI) was announced by Chairman
B.J. Habibie Saturday night.

Strangely enough, I cannot seem to pinpoint any "religious
extremists" or any of the "new Masjumi" type of people in that
line-up, even though anti-ICMI elements have been predicting
their domination of the organization. The anti-ICMI circles claim
that because of the group's membership makeup, it is a liability
rather than an asset to the integration of this vast nation's
numerous societal groups.

I think some clarification is needed to prevent this
misconception from spreading further.

There were two factors which led to the foundation of ICMI.
First, the existence of other religion-based intellectual
organizations such as the Catholic group, ISKA, and the PIKI
Protestant group. Moslem intellectuals had the feeling that there
was a need for actualizing their intellectual capacities.

ICMI is the first organization for Moslem intellectuals that
craves to improve the quality of life of Indonesian Moslems.
Followers of Islam make up most of Indonesia's population, but
the majority of them are poor and less educated in comparison to
most non-Moslems. This has led other groups to look down on
Moslems who are often associated with orthodoxy and backwardness.
Until the early 1980s some Moslems were reluctant to acknowledge
themselves as Moslems.

In the first five years of its existence, ICMI launched
numerous projects targeting Moslems in rural areas. There were
book donations for Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) and
assistance in the form of appropriate technology for Moslem
farmers. A Moslem bank, Bank Muamalat, and other financial
organizations were established to help farmers and small-scale
traders to get loans. Moslem communities were acquainted with
Islamic-style insurance. Scholarship and foster parent programs
were introduced. I myself started donating for a child's studies
in Riau, Sumatra.

Second, the birth of ICMI could also serve as a medium for
Moslem intellectuals to channel their interests. Frankly
speaking, some Moslem intellectuals felt that Moslems were often
discredited and discriminated against in both political and
economic life up to the 1980s. The Moslems, including those in
the bureaucracy and in the military, who were aware of the
situation were naturally enthusiastic about the founding of ICMI.

In order to improve their quality of life and to end
discrimination against them, Moslems must have ready political
access to government figures and the bureaucracy. ICMI has been
successful in this respect in the past five years. However, the
question remains as to whether, with its political access, ICMI
will resort to revenge and discriminate against other groups. I
do not think so and I hope not.

What ICMI is undertaking now in the bureaucracy and in
politics is, in my opinion, a struggle to strike a fair political
and economic balance for the Moslems. This gives rise to friction
with other groups. I am convinced that this friction will cease
when a new balance has been struck and when Moslems have obtained
an adequate and just share of the political and economic cake.

I do not see that the new ICMI leadership composition gives
reason for concern. All of them are moderate, tolerant, middle-
class and well educated (especially in the West) Moslem
intellectuals.

However, ICMI does need to guard against becoming a radical
group. Other groups can help ICMI avoid this trap by cooperating
and holding talks with ICMI and by avoiding being antagonistic
toward it.

Prosperous Moslems with good political positions offer a
greater possibility of maintaining a politically stable Indonesia
than Moslems who are poor and discriminated against because
Moslems form the majority of Indonesia's population and have a
high degree of tolerance when compared to the Islamic communities
in other countries.

The writer is Director of the Center for Policy and
Development Studies. He is also a member of ICMI's Board of
Experts.