Nationalism: A political commodity?
By Amir Santoso
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Debates on nationalism has resurfaced recently, focusing on the establishment of certain intellectual groups. Political scientist Amir Santoso examines this phenomenon. ----------------------------------------------------------------
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JAKARTA (JP): Nationalism has now become a political commodity. It all started with Golkar holding a national seminar on nationalism early this month, which was followed by a plan initiated by a number of intellectuals to launch a new organization under the name of Association of Indonesian Nationalist Intellectuals (ICKI).
Earlier, a group of students set up a new political organization named the People's Democratic Party (PRD). What has happened to the sense of nationalism among Indonesians? Is there really an erosion of the sense of nationalism or is all this just a political ploy?
Lately, there has been a considerable degree of concern among members of what is known as the Generation of 1945 about the sense of nationalism prevailing among the younger generation of Indonesians, especially students.
Recent student activities and the attitudes which students have displayed in facing government officials are considered to be indications of such a lack of nationalism. Statements made by certain non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in foreign countries which tend to discredit the government are also regarded as anti-nationalist.
Religious bases
At the same time a number of organizations have been set up on religious bases, such as ICMI by Moslem intellectuals and soon to be introduced organization of Buddhist intellectuals. The Christian's PIKI has been in existence for some time.
I, for one, do not agree with such assumptions of an erosion of the sense of nationalism among younger Indonesians. The problem merely lies in the many, vague indicators used to measure that elusive "sense."
For the 1945 Generation, nationalism is identical with the struggle for independence. Their slogans proclaim "freedom or death", or "ever onward, never retreat".
For that reason, even when they are involved in cases of mismanagement, they say that they will carry on and never concede their position.
On the contrary, to members of the younger generation of Indonesians who have never known colonialism, the indicator of nationalism is the drive to develop Indonesia and move it towards greater prosperity, security and democracy.
So, for them, a nationalist is someone who is not involved in such acts as corruption or misuse of power.
The emergence of the PRD, however, tells a story that is different from the plan to set up by the ICKI. Neither is connected with the problem of nationalism. The creation of the PRD has no nationalist motives at all.
The PRD is the embodiment of the protest of a group of students who feel that the channel available to express their interests is too narrow, since the existing political organizations and legislative bodies have failed to articulate their aspirations.
The emergence of various religious intellectual groups also cannot be considered a product of nationalism. They are interest groups which illustrate the pluralism that exists in Indonesian society and have no relation with nationalism.
What is wrong with Christian, Hindu, Catholic or Moslem intellectuals wanting to set up organizations of their own on a basis of shared interests?
Panic
If we want to develop democracy we must accept the condition that in this country there must be various groups or organizations.
The statements made by some officials lately illustrate the panic that exists among them. This panic is due to the fact that, for last 25 years, they have not been used to the phenomenon of various groups emerging in our society.
Certain officials then took the initiative to set up ICKI with the aim of combating "sectarianism" in the various intellectual groups.
The formation of ICKI has strengthened suspicions that this phenomenon is the result of intra-elite conflicts converging with the need of some intellectuals to play a role in politics.
These intellectuals, who are mostly in private universities, see the existing intellectual groups, particularly ICMI, as a threat to their interests. They want to get their share by setting up an organization, but feel unable to do so without the help of some leading figures.
Their main stake is not nationalism but the interest to play a part on the political arena.
To me, the maintenance of a sense of nationalism is not mutually exclusive of the formation of various interest groups. Let every person choose and form his or her own group on whatever basis is desired.
The important thing is that there must be an environment that is open to intensive dialog among the groups. Such communication is of the greatest importance to open up the environment of exclusiveness and to avoid distrust among the groups.
None of us, I think, have the intention to break up Indonesia. What we need is the freedom to express our interests and to talk to each other on an equal level and without discrimination.
The writer is professor of political science at the University of Indonesia.
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