Parties separated from reality: Experts

Parties separated from reality: Experts

JAKARTA (JP): A dialog between political parties and women
here has revealed a gap between the parties and the reality of
society, experts noted Thursday.

Sociologist Julia Suryakusuma and Siti Musdah Mulya, a
researcher with the Ministry of Religious Affairs, were asked in
the dialog to comment on the views aired by representatives of
three parties, particularly regarding women's issues.

"The parties' representatives here provided normative and
conservative answers about women's issues," Julia said on the
sidelines of the talks.

She had tried to explain what a "gender perspective" was to
the forum, which she defined among other things as the awareness
of various forms of injustice suffered by women.

"A big gap between the parties and the realities here occurs
because political parties represent the status quo," she said.

The morning session in the function held by a non-governmental
organization, Women's Solidarity, featured the Crescent Star
Party (PBB), the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI
Perjuangan) and the United Development Party (PPP).

The afternoon session featured the ruling Golkar party, the
National Mandate Party (PAN) and the National Awakening Party
(PKB).

Among other issues touched on were women and work, and also
violence.

A party representative had said while domestic work was
"noble" in one's own home, it was lowly for women to do paid
domestic jobs.

Siti Musdah of the Ministry of Religious Affairs said such a
view must be changed.

"It is not their destiny (kodrat) for women to be fully
responsible for domestic work ... But many people, especially
men, misunderstand religious values regarding women. They think
that women have to serve them unconditionally. So it is time to
reshape this outlook."

She said she believed men would not be able to pay the
economic value of domestic work.

Legislator and frequent talk show host Ekky Syahruddin of
Golkar said gender was not a problem.

"I don't see any specific oppression of women here," Ekky
said, to the accompaniment of boos from the audience.

In reality, Julia said women were the ones suffering from
discrimination.

Echoing some of the other speakers, Ekky said the core problem
parties were to address was that of the whole society, not only
women.

"So if women want to fight for their rights and aspirations,
come on and join Golkar."

Khofifah Indah Parawansa of the National Awakening Party
slammed Ekky's remarks, saying that during the previous New Order
government women were "alienated and treated as second-grade
citizens."

She cited compulsory membership of the civil servants' wives
organization Dharma Wanita set up in 1974 to help Golkar win
elections.

"For a long time many women did not realize that joining such
an organization was the same as having their political rights
taken away" as they were obliged to vote for Golkar with the risk
of their husbands losing their jobs or harming their careers if
they did not.

She said therefore her party's platform "clearly states that
we support women's empowerment and we are against
discrimination."

Novianti Nasution of the Indonesian Democratic Party of
Struggle described how her party was continuously fighting to
ensure that wage discrimination would no longer occur.

Suprenita, a deputy secretary general of the Crescent Star
Party, said her party would struggle to improve the position of
women in line with the wish of God, which was to make it equal to
that of men.

Similar talks between parties and women, aimed at urging the
former to take up women's issues, are planned in nine major
cities such as Ujungpandang in South Sulawesi, Yogyakarta, Medan
in North Sumatra, Pontianak in West Kalimantan, Surakarta in
Central Java, and Merauke in Irian Jaya. (edt)