Should minority groups form parties?

By Aleksius Jemadu

BANDUNG (JP): Like it or not, a political distinction between the majority and minority groups in Indonesian politics remains an undeniable fact.

Those who are in the majority group have a natural tendency to aspire to a bigger role in the political system. The minority groups, on the other hand, tend to demand factual recognition as an integral part of the nation.

The minority groups in Indonesia are normally associated with particular religious and ethnic affiliations. They include Christians, followers of Buddhism and Hinduism and Chinese- Indonesians.

It is interesting to know how these groups would channel their political aspirations in the new era. Should each form its own political party? Or should they choose to merge with other major political parties which are based on nonprimordial principles?

During Soeharto's rule, minority groups were required to join the political amalgamations established by the New Order government in the early 1970s. The above-mentioned groups integrated themselves with the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI). Otherwise they would join the dominant party Golkar. Endless internal conflict within PDI and the peripheralization of the minority groups by Golkar elite have apparently led to widespread dissatisfaction among members of these groups.

It is only natural if now, in this era of political reform, the minority groups would be encouraged to form their own political party. They might argue that this is the only effective way to have a say in the political system. However, it is equally valid to suggest such partisan politics could even lead to more sectarianism in our pluralistic society.

Establishing new political parties based on religious and ethnic affiliations would be an anachronism as the nation is struggling to unite all social and political forces to deal with the severity of the economic crisis.

This is precisely the reason why the minority groups should endorse the emergence of new political parties which are based on more inclusive principles.

Indonesia does need political parties which promote nationalism, democracy, protection of human rights, people's welfare and social justice. No religion or ethnic group would be against these universally accepted values.

Thus, by defending such values, the minority groups have transformed their minority situation into political finesse and self-confidence. The prospect of the Indonesian democratic state will not depend on any kind of primordialism but on the incorporation of universal humanity in its political system.

Minority groups in Indonesia should learn from the Jewish community in the United States. They do not have their own political party, but they can do a lot for the benefit of the whole nation. The Jewish lobby is said to have a big role in the formulation and implementation of American foreign policy especially in the Middle East.

There are several real suggestions that need to be considered by the minority groups so that their existence and aspirations might be recognized by the whole nation.

First, they have to change their "inferiority complex" into a more positive attitude. They have to convince themselves that, like other citizens, they have an equal opportunity to serve the nation through different fields of activity. Some prominent Chinese-Indonesians have given their to the nation. Rudy Hartono, Susi Susanti and Kwik Kian Gie, to name a few, are genuine patriots in their respective professions who the nation can be proud of.

By displaying outstanding accomplishments in sports, education, mass media, entrepreneurship and technology, the minority groups can improve Indonesia's competitive edge vis-a- vis other nations.

Second, it is argued that the prospect of Indonesian democracy will flourish if there is a process of convergence among different political orientations in its pluralistic society.

However, such convergence must be achieved through promotion of mutual trust and solidarity. Therefore, the minority groups are expected to show their sense of nationalism and patriotism before they put forward their partisan interests.

If this suggestion is accepted, then it would be wise for the minority groups not to waste their resources in establishing a sectarian political party.

Instead, they could take the initiative to support political parties with more inclusive and nationalistic orientations.

Moreover, minority parties will have to face the risk of being selected out if they fail to meet certain requirements stipulated by the new election law.

Third, the creation of new political parties along religious and ethnic affiliations could jeopardize the process of nation- building. The more urgent thing to do is to encourage a sense of togetherness among social members on voluntary basis.

In this regard, several prominent Christian universities do have a unique responsibility. The student body of these universities consists of a large, if not majority, proportion of students of Chinese descent and a significant number of "indigenous" students.

Unfortunately, up till now, the administrations of the universities seem to be indifferent to the process of assimilation among their students. Leaders of the universities could develop educational program with an aim to encourage mutual understanding and compassion among students of different religions or ethnic groups.

The saddening reality is that day to day social relationships among students of the universities are noticeably based on their different ethnicities. There seems to be a gap between students of Chinese descent and the rest. This kind of social dichotomy among the nation's young generation needs to be changed.

Otherwise, seeds of suspicion and hatred will spread right from the very center of modern civilization. Hopefully, the participation of the minority groups in more inclusive and nationalistic political parties can strengthen Indonesia's national unity.

The writer is the head of the school of international relations at Parahyangan Catholic University, Bandung. He is also a researcher at the Parahyangan Center for International Studies.