Revitalization of palaces threatens democracy

Sri Wahyuni, Contributor, Yogyakarta

A dialog on culture held recently during the Indonesia Palaces Festival (FKN) IV in Yogyakarta agreed on the need to make the palaces in the country the centers of culture.

Author of Bangsawan dan Kuasa (Noble Families and Power), AAGN Ari Dwipayana, of Gadjah Mada University school of political and social sciences, however, said that it could be a setback and a threat to democracy. The following is an excerpt of the interview with Sri Wahyuni of The Jakarta Post' about the issue.

How would you perceive a palace in today's politics of the country?

The formal political power of a palace in Indonesia came to an end since the enactment of Law No. 1/1957 on regional government, which erased the existence of swapraja (autonomous) government, i.e. palaces, such that they have functioned only in the cultural domain ever since.

When a major, fundamental change in Indonesian politics occurred in 1998, however, many of the palaces were starting to look for new strategies (to regain their formal political power).

Individually, for example, members of the royal families are seeking formal positions in either the legislative institutions or the bureaucracy.

Institutionally, they are expanding their wilayah kerabat (reach) by, for instance, awarding noble titles to the country's prominent political figures.

In other words, they are revitalizing themselves, looking for both political representation and institutionally strategic positions in local politics.

In Yogyakarta, for example, an effort has also been made through the strengthening of the special status of the region. In Surakarta, Ternate, and Tidore, a similar approach has been made through the idea of going back to the residency form of government.

In other places, it is done through the degree of representativeness of a sultanate in local politics. This is indeed a setback for democracy.

Could you elaborate?

Democracy recognizes equality. No representation is made based either on historical, gynecological, or traditional considerations. Everyone is treated equally.

The involvement of a palace in modern politics, too, can create congruence between the cultural and formal political powers that will in turn make the powers too centralistic to control.

A sultan who is also a governor, for example, is difficult to control because he is also the representation of culture. As such, his authority is often seen as sacred, exemplary and even a manifestation of particular traditional or supernatural power.

When equality is no longer recognized, while at the same time there is also a concentration of political and cultural powers, it will be difficult for the substantive democracy to be achieved.

That is why it is important that palaces must not consider themselves the centers of culture, the centers of models. Culture and tradition do not belong only to palaces. There are many others that live in the community. Palaces are just parts of a multifaceted culture.

What I am saying is that there is a phenomenon of monopolization in the authority to interpret so-called culture, which is often referred to as the identity of a region.

When people talk about customs and traditions they always refer to that of palaces, and not that which was developed among ethnical, more egalitarian communities, where equality was highly recognized.

In other words, there has been an "aristocratization" of culture and custom. This should be stopped because it is not conducive at all for the process of democracy. Unfortunately, as I see it, people seem to have accepted this phenomenon as something natural.

Even among academics the same acceptance often exists. Aristocracy seems to have been perceived as a solution for democracy that many consider to have failed in providing a better life for the community.

What do you think will stop it?

Civil society organizations should not just accept the idea that going back to traditional values is the same as going back to that of the palaces. Movements like the Alliance of Nusantara Community (Aman) have to speak out loud that strengthening traditional customs does not equate with a revival of feudalism or aristocracy.

The government, similarly, should not facilitate only the forums for the palaces to expose themselves but also those for the other groups of community to show the varied traditions living among them. Both the palaces and the rest of the community must be given the same opportunity to develop their traditions and culture as tourist attractions.

The democratic rule of the games should be developed as well so as not to create possibilities for a hegemony or domination from the palace actors in the local politics.

At a national level, related policies have to be formulated under clear cultural politics. It should be clearly stated that the culture to be developed is one that will not tolerate aristocracy or feudalism.