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.