People's democracy

The preservation of our new found democracy rests on making the process and system relevant to the people.

Pro-democracy activists can shout and clamor for it as much as they want, but without witnessing the fruits of a democratic system, democracy will be a fleeting slogan.

The free and fair elections of 1999 and 2004 were a giant leap of faith for the Indonesian people. They embraced a system which had been shunned for over four decades.

Starting today the nation engages in a process which promises to deepen and institutionalize democratic traditions at the grassroots level.

The start of local administrative elections is an exciting, exhilarating, yet worrisome process all at the same time.

Watching history unfold and being part of a practice which will shape the future of the country is an exciting event many of us thought would never occur.

The exhilaration of having direct input in the making of local government and having our aspirations listened to is another luxury which was unthinkable less than a decade ago.

But the outcome rarely meets the promise. If that is the case in our fledgling democracy, then the start of the local elections is a harbinger of tough times ahead. Combined with the potential for local clashes, vote buying and ballot fraud, the coming headache sometimes does not seem worth the trouble.

But without this process -- a painful learning experience in its initial stages -- many of the ideals sought post-reformasi will be difficult to realize.

Accountability is one of the fundamental tenets of a democratic system. Local elections allows for the governed to judge for themselves whether those elevated to positions of power have done what is asked of them.

Local elections also provide a sense of identity for the hundreds of millions scattered across the archipelago. Through the elections they can sense that they are part of the process of government and politics usually dominated by the elite in Jakarta.

A less noticeable, but important outgrowth of local elections is that it infuses democratic habits in the people at the lowest level, which in turn constructs the single strongest roadblock toward a reversion to totalitarian ways.

Once people have tasted and practiced their democratic rights it will be difficult for them to willingly waive them.

Much of the onus now rests on the local election commissions, and the elected candidates.

It is imperative that the election commissions conduct their duty in the most scrupulous manner. Anything less could diminish the final outcome of the elections. The legitimacy of the local elections depends on the executors of the process.

There may be imperfections in the running of the elections and criticism by those dissatisfied with it, but if the credibility of the commission remains intact trust in the process and legitimacy of the outcome will be respected.

From there much hope will be placed in the elected officials and councillors. They have the power to reinforce or shatter the dreams of a democratic system.

Their performance will determine whether it was worth all the trouble, or if democracy may not be suitable after all for Indonesia.

In many of the elections we are about to witness in the coming months, Jakarta's political influence will still be felt in many local races: Candidates who are more known to Jakartans than the local district residents who are supposed to elect them; split tickets based on agreements by the central boards of political parties in Jakarta.

Unfortunately, these are facts of life which for now cannot be avoided. We can only hope that these shortcomings do not detract from a process which, if conducted with patience and perseverance, promises us much.