Peace and democracy

In his letter entitled Indonesian democracy (The Jakarta Post, July 23), Sumarsono Sastrowardoyo reminds us not to forget that democracy is inherent in Indonesia, "proved by the mostly peaceful coexistence" of Indonesians.

I do not dispute that many institutions in traditional Indonesian society are democratic, and were so long before contact with Europeans. Nor do I dispute that the capacity to appreciate other choices is a prerequisite for democracy, especially in a plural society such as Indonesia. I think, however, that citing peaceful coexistence as evidence of democracy is untenable.

Democracy is about people having control over how their lives are regulated. It is possible to have peaceful coexistence without this, as with Pax Romana and until recently Pax Americana. The Roman Empire, as with the United States' global hegemony, was successful in securing peace; underneath it all, of course, was an iron fist. The problem with this kind of peace is that it never lasts, as the collapse of the Roman Empire and the current backlash against the U.S. show us. An equally salient example is the collapse of the New Order regime.

It seems to me that despite reformasi (reform drive), many Indonesian leaders continue to understand democracy in a similar way to Sastrowardoyo. Perhaps it is time for them to realize that peace alone does not equate to democracy if it is grounded in a feudal-style rule. Similarly, the rest of us should remember that while peace may not always be a good indicator of democracy, peaceful means are certainly the best way to achieve it.

LUKE ARNOLD Jakarta