Radicals on the move?

After what has seemed to many observers like a rather protracted period of indecision, it appears President B.J. Habibie has now acquired the necessary self-confidence to launch a convincing counteroffensive against his critics and antagonists and build himself a base solid enough at least to complete the daunting task of restarting the nation on its way to economic recovery. To be precise, Habibie's initial, often wavering, steps in that direction have been evident for some time. But it was only on Tuesday that the latest design of his political strategy was revealed.

The stage setting seemed ideal, the timing flawless. Presiding over ceremonies to mark the 53rd anniversary of the Indonesian Armed Forces (ABRI), Habibie warned the assembled military and civilian dignitaries, plus the millions of viewers watching the televised transmission, that groups of radical and revolutionary elements were beginning to emerge to threaten the nation. Ordering the military to take proactive measures to counter those groups, Habibie warned that "slowly, there is a trend among some small groups in society that shows the emergence of seeds of radical and revolutionary movements which claim to speak and act for the reform movement". Several leaders of the movement had planned and carried out destructive and unconstitutional actions in an attempt to force their will on the people, he added, without naming names.

The President expressed the hope that "the purity of the nation's current reform campaign can be safeguarded so that it will not be tarnished by the maneuvers of radical and revolutionary groups". Such steps, he said, were necessary to halt actions and movements by individuals or groups openly working to create an uncontrollable, unsafe and unstable situation.

The patent irony of the situation aside -- Habibie came to power in May through precisely such "radical" and "revolutionary" movements that brought down his predecessor, Soeharto -- there is no question that order and stability must be preserved if political life is to proceed and the economy is to be revived. However, one might question, as many observers do, the wisdom of Habibie's invoking the threat of radicals and revolutionaries to achieve this purpose. Indeed, in the present Indonesian context, the casting of vague allegations -- insinuations might be a better word -- such as those made by Habibie could put the current reform movement in danger.

It is no secret that many of the students who brought about the downfall of Soeharto's New Order regime are dissatisfied with the progress of the reform program under Habibie. Some student leaders have openly voiced their opposition to the President and proposed that he be replaced by a national "people's committee". In the meantime, allegations of the student movement being infiltrated by radicals and revolutionaries, or even communists, are bandied about by a growing number of officials and Habibie supporters. Under the circumstances, it is difficult to avoid the impression that such allegations are being deliberately disseminated to justify a possible crackdown on the student-led reform movement. Most frightening of all about this scenario is that if it actually materializes, it would not be difficult to imagine the country slowly sliding back toward repression.

While it may be rash to simply dismiss the allegations of radicalism as nonsense, the government needs to come up with detailed proof of its assertions. Unless it does so, the denunciations will only encourage mutual distrust and animosity in the community and lay the foundation for a return of the old repressive political culture. We should by now have learned the most telling lesson of the recent past. If genuine stability is to prevail, the best way to ensure it is not by repression and stigmatizing opponents, but by guaranteeing that the program for democratic reforms is kept on track and that the democratic aspirations of the population are heeded.