Revolution, war needed to restore reform movement: Scholars

Revolution, war needed to restore reform movement: Scholars

Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Scholars said here on Thursday that a breakthrough, possibly a
revolution or even war, was needed to put the country's reform
movement back on course.

Speaking at a three-day national seminar on reform organized
by Gadjah Mada University, Rector of Jakarta-based Paramadina
University Nurcholish Madjid said the complexity of the present
multidimensional crises and difficulties in dealing with them
required major steps and a high level of initiative.

"What is meant by major steps are fundamental steps that would
be the moral equivalent of a revolution or even a war. This is
the real jihad akbar, but it will not require bloodshed, just a
sacrifice of egos and selfishness and subjectivism, a
psychological kind of sacrifice," Nurcholish said, with a
reference to a great holy war.

Such a jihad, according to Nurcholish, would be extremely
difficult for many people here because it was basically a fight
against one's own character, a fight that required courage to
speak the truth no matter how bitter, especially when it was
against an individual's self-interest or that of his/her group.

Nurcholish also reminded those present that reform was a moral
movement in the beginning when people said enough is enough with
the authoritarianism of the New Order. However, as time has gone
by, the hope for change and a better future has faded. The
current state of the nation, he continued, was merely the "New
Order minus Soeharto", along with all of its corruption, violence
and injustice.

Chairman of Muhammadiyah Ahmad Syafii Maarif also expressed
similar views, saying that a chaotic moral system required a
counter morality, which could embolden people to speak out and
offer sensible solutions to national problems.

"It may be necessary for us to offer a solution for a complete
redesign of the nation. Ad hoc solutions will not overcome basic
problems, and the root issues that cause them," said Syafii.

He added that it was now the time for educational
institutions, especially universities, to be much more proactive
in safeguarding the nation and preventing the 2004 general
election from becoming an arena for the nurture of violent
militias connected to parties and widespread vote-buying.

"In a time when other institutions, including the legislative,
executive and judiciary are all deteriorating, universities are
the only hope we have. What we need now is to unite all people of
conscience with healthy minds to save the future of this
country," he said.

Some 300 participants are attending the three-day seminar that
was opened by Minister of National Education Malik Fadjar. The
seminar itself was organized to help reformulate the true goal of
the reform movement and put it back on course.

A number of prominent scholars, economists and other experts
of different backgrounds have been invited to present their
ideas. Some of the noted speakers include Mubyarto, Bambang
Sudibyo, Revrisond Baswir, Frans-Magnis Suseno, Mudji Sutrisno,
Toeti Heraty Rooseno, Chusnul Mariyah, Riswandha Imawan and
Aristides Katopo.

"We hope to produce a guideline for future Indonesian leaders
regarding what must be done to keep reform on track. We will make
it into a book, copies of which will be distributed to the public
and concerned institutions," Chairman of the seminar's organizing
committee Djoko Suryo said.