Is Indonesia a free country?

Following the 56th anniversary of independence, political analyst J. Soedjati Djiwandono reflects upon the fact that sovereignty, independence and freedom are different things.

JAKARTA (JP): There is no doubt that Indonesia is a sovereign and independent country. We have just celebrated the 56th anniversary of the proclamation of Indonesian independence. For 56 long years we have been in control of our own country and our own nation. We have been in control of our own destiny. And the sovereignty and independence of any country are limited only by those of others. This is true especially now in a shrinking, and increasingly open and interdependent world because of the constant advancement in communication and information technology.

Interestingly, soon after his election as the fourth president of this republic by the People's Consultative Assembly, Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid loudly "proclaimed Indonesia's independence for the second time". I have never known what he really had in mind when making that proclamation, for he never referred to it again, nor elaborated on what he meant. The puzzle may be due to a problem of semantics of the Indonesian language.

A look into the vocabulary stock of the English language, however, may shed some light on the significance of Gus Dur's declaration. In a speech to the U.S. Congress on Jan. 6, 1941, president Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed the famous "Four Freedoms". At that time, the United States of America had been independent for almost 200 years.

President Roosevelt laid out these principles as a basis for world peace: "In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression -- everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way -- everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want -- which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants -- everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear -- which, translated into world terms, means a worldwide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor -- anywhere in the world."

Perhaps in a reference to Indonesia's principle of foreign policy, later on first president Sukarno added to the four freedoms, "the freedom to be free".

In 1953, barely five years after the establishment of the People's Republic of China, president Liu Shiao-chi advocated his own version of the "four freedoms": to rent and to sell land; to hire labor; to engage in sideline economic pursuits; and to lend money at interest.

But since these freedoms amounted to rights of private property in land, they were attacked by Mao Zedong, and never implemented. Lin was later denounced as a "capitalist inroader" and expelled from the party.

Indeed, in terms of statehood, many nations have obtained their independence. However, the independence of a large number of these nations is yet to be given its contents, "freedoms" for their peoples, not just the four freedoms enunciated by president Roosevelt or the four freedoms proclaimed by president Liu Shiao- chi, but all the human freedoms for the achievements of their higher goals in life as human beings.

Indeed, we enjoy much greater freedom of expression these days. However, freedom to have our own views and opinions on certain things not in line with the "mainstream", especially the official lines, remains curtailed. Then the state still tempers with our freedom of worship through its unjust laws and regulations. For a large majority of the people, freedom from want remains a far cry from the reality. And freedom from fear is just a wish.

Americans often say with pride, referring to their own country -- when encouraging or appreciating others' personal views -- "It's a free country". My own beloved country definitely constitutes an independent state. I would hesitate, however, to give a definite answer to the simple question, "Is Indonesia a free country?"