'Loco of democracy' shuns democracy

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

It is indeed bit disconcerting when a die-hard watchdog built on the foundations of promoting the democratic process in the country persists in operating a non-democratic system within its own organization, as has been shown by the recent silent conflict at the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI).

In an abrupt move, the institute's board of trustees -- which holds the highest authority -- dismissed on Wednesday Bambang Widjojanto, who was the managing chairman over the last five years along with a group of caretakers, whose tasks included, among others, making preparations for the election of a new chairman.

The dismissal took place after YLBHI's vice chairman Munir withdrew his membership from the organization, the country's so- called "locomotive of democracy".

Bambang believed that his removal was closely related to his strong intention to speed up reforms in the organization to make it a more populist association, which would reduce the authority of the board of trustees to ensure the foundation's democracy and accountability.

His efforts to establish a less autocratic institute, which were encouraged by all of the organization's 13 subsidiaries at a national meeting last month, would have allowed any and all groups in society to join the institute as partners, not only as advocacy-seekers.

In an interview with The Jakarta Post on Thursday, Bambang pointed out that the board of trustees, which comprises the founding senior members and which is temporarily chaired by Victor Nababan after the resignation of the founder, Adnan Buyung Nasution, "prefer to keep to the old system due to the foundation's historical values".

"I cannot understand such a rejection because the new system will strengthen our mission to promote the people's legal standing. They accused us of being similar to street protesters, which we have never done. We have contributed to democracy- building over the last five years, a position never taken by our predecessors."

Such an abrupt move by the board of trustees sparked criticism from the organization's members, a friction that also occurred during the elections in 1996, where members walked out with candidate Hendardi later establishing his own group, called the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI).

Such a protest was based on the shift of the senior members' respective positions, who preferred to defend their power in the name of "professionalism".

Adnan has been criticized for defending senior military officers named as suspects in a human rights case.

Adnan stressed on Wednesday that there was no bickering within the foundation, arguing that the extension of Bambang's tenure would set a bad precedent in the foundation's regeneration process.

"I am open for changes, but it needs time to reform this 31- year-old foundation. Something these kids cannot understand: what we fight for is the law. We are against militarism but not the military as an institution," he said.