Nationalism: A political commodity?

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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