New Order political adventure

New Order political adventure

It is very interesting to watch what is going on in the
national political arena. Interesting here means almost the same
as confusing. We must accept the fact that democracy has several
different interpretations. Indonesia, as a sovereign and
independent country, must also have its own interpretation.
According to the interpretation of democracy during the New Order
regime -- Pancasila democracy -- there is a place for differences
of opinion and a place for criticism because criticism is
important for the birth of creativity and differences should be
settled by talks and debates and not by the power of arms.
Tolerance and understanding are the basic factors.

What is happening now in Indonesia? Democracy now means
winning or winning. When you win then the whole procedure is
considered to have been conducted honestly and fairly, and when
you lose, then there must have been foul play and irregularities
and everything should be repeated.

The outcome of all meetings, talks and deliberations for
certain parties and groups must end in victory. It is always a
win-win solution. And if you do lose, then you cry foul and you
start with protests, ultimatums, or demonstrations or walkouts or
even fights like what almost happen in the General Election
Committee between a political party representative and a
government representative.

We are not yet mature enough for real democracy. And the proof
lies in what is happening now in East Timor, which has caused
immense suffering to the people, although the proindependence
people have achieved an overwhelming victory with more than 78
percent of the votes. Trouble should not have happened because
before the referendum, the leaders expressed that everybody
should accept the outcome of the referendum, irrespective of
which way it went. Timorese are suffering, thousands of people
are leaving the troubled area, many have died and many more have
been injured.

The Indonesian government is being held responsible by the
international community and is being threatened with all kinds of
sanctions, which might cause economic and other problems to the
Indonesian people as a whole.

Why did we invade East Timor in the first place? What was in
the back of the mind of the government at that time? Did we
anticipate the possibility of encountering political and economic
problems when we marched into East Timor? Or did we want to be
considered anticolonial champions?

If I am right, a referendum was held at the time and the
outcome was that Timorese people overwhelmingly expressed their
desire to be part of Indonesia. And, as a consequence, East Timor
was made the 27th province. Was this referendum conducted
honestly, freely and democratically without any pressure from
Jakarta? Then why was the result of the 1999 referendum so
different and 78 percent of the East Timorese people decided to
be free and separated from Indonesia?

East Timor's political adventure has proved to be a costly
endeavor and a lesson to be heeded. Who is responsible? What
profit did we reap, if any? Even the East Timorese have expressed
their gratitude for the Indonesian invasion by choosing to be
independent.

A tragedy, invented by the New Order government, and the
aftermath is now resting heavily on the shoulders of the present
government. We want to forget this nightmare as soon as possible.

SOEGIH ARTO

Jakarta