LSMs self-reliant?

It would not be an exaggeration to say that local LSMs (NGOs) in Indonesia are mushrooming. This is because many people are not satisfied with the results of rapid national development, which has brought unexpected problems. The problems are emerging at national, regional and especially village levels.

People living in rural areas often become victim of development. In an attempt to address the situation, the government has come up with the IDT (presidential program for least developed villages) program, which is considered one of the best alternatives to fight poverty. But still the IDT program hardly works in the eyes of certain groups of people. They then come up with their own alternatives under the flag of an LSM, which can be literally translated in English as Self-reliant Institution. At the international level the LSM is often derisively referred to as an NGO by Indonesian officials.

The rural areas, sometimes called "the poverty bags", are the most strategic and potential position for the LSMs to set up. Most of the time they declare themselves to be the most effective and efficient agents of development. They criticize the government and others who are not in line with them.

Some are radical and confrontational in articulating their mission and vision, and some are calm and more cooperative with the government. The latter groups mostly focus on practical activities to directly help their beneficiaries. But it is not rare for them to collide with government ideas and programs. They compete to raise funds for survival. No money, no project.

As the development process goes on and LSMs mushroom, the competition for financial assistance from funding agencies (mostly foreign NGOs) is getting tougher and tougher. The LSMs have to work very hard to prove their abilities to funding agencies. And most importantly they must carry out their tasks in agreement with the donor. They are in fact highly dependent on funding agencies.

Ironically, despite wanting to help people help themselves, the LSMs themselves are in fact not self-reliant.

ABDURRAHMAN BINSYEH

ABUBAKAR

Jakarta