Pancasila democracy needs clarification

Pancasila democracy needs clarification

JAKARTA (JP): What is democracy to Indonesians? More precisely
what is the Demokrasi Pancasila that all Indonesians appear to have
accepted?

Franz Magnis-Suseno posed this question at his inauguration
ceremony to become professor of philosophy at Jakarta's Driyarkara
School of Philosophy on Saturday.

Franz, who is also the rector of the university, said that while
Indonesians do not appear to have any objections to the Pancasila
Democracy concept, most do not understand what it really stands for.

"We still do not have a clear definition on Demokrasi Pancasila
ideology," said Franz, who believes that a philosopher's place is to
stand between those in power and their critics.

The values of Pancasila Democracy must be found in existing social
and cultural conditions in Indonesia, the German-born philosopher,
said.

Regardless of the origins of democracy, Franz said that democracy
is still the only acceptable form of government in Indonesia.

Since independence in 1945, the nation's founding fathers agreed
that Indonesia should be ruled by a democratically elected
government.

Over the course of time, however, the nation has deviated from the
ideals, he said, recalling that opponents of Sukarno, Indonesia's
first president, were silenced or even sent to jail to prevent them
from speaking out.

Nearly 50 years after independence, Indonesia has not found or
formulated the kind of democracy that it should have, he said,
stressing that future development in the country will depend on its
ability to establish democracy.

Franz argued that Indonesia must strive to establish democracy to
prevent the concentration of power in a few hands and also to move
the country away from the feudalistic culture inherited from the
Dutch.

Though he did not attempt to define the kind of democracy that
Indonesia should have, Franz did assert that it must include such
elements as a democratic decision making process, freedom of speech
and opinion and the right to hold a different opinion.

In any democracy, all parties should view that they are all
working on the same side, he said. "The main element in democracy is
to regard your critics as fellow citizens and not to see them as
enemies."

Another important element in a democracy is for the minority to
accept its position and to follow decisions made by those in the
majority.

A democratic state is also one that is ruled by law and where the
government represents the sovereignty of the people, achieved
through free and fair elections.

A democracy in Indonesia, however, will not allow absolute
freedom. He pointed out that people in the country should pay heed
to their culture when expressing their criticisms.

Born in Eckersdorf, Glatz, Germany, on May 26, 1936, Franz
studied philosophy in Munich before coming to Indonesia in 1961 as
part of a Christian mission. He became an Indonesian citizen in 1977
and helped established the Driyarkara School of Philosophy 25 years
ago. He is the school's second lecturer to have been promoted to
full professor. (imn)