Social scientists gather

JAKARTA (JP): Social scientists from universities across Indonesia start a five-day congress and series of seminars in Medan, North Sumatra today to draft recommendations for fellow professionals on how to anticipate tougher future challenges.

President Soeharto is expected to open both the seminars and the seventh congress held by the Indonesian Association for Social Sciences Development.

Association chairman Alwi Dahlan said recently the week-long gathering would come up with suggestions as to what Indonesian professionals should do to cope with the onset of free trade within the ASEAN Free Trade Area in 2003.

Alwi said the year 2003 would serve as the prelude to stiffer competition with advanced countries in 2020, when the Asia- Pacific area becomes a free trade area.

The seminars will feature speakers from various professions, including businessmen, bureaucrats, military officers and politicians.

Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono, Minister of Research and Technology B.J. Habibie, Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher and Minister of National Development Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita are also expected to speak.

The national congress, held every five years, will elect the association's leadership board for 1997 to 2002.

During the opening ceremony, Soeharto will give awards to the country's best social scientists. A committee official said yesterday that outstanding anthropologist Koentjaraningrat was among the award nominees.

Renowned sociologist Selo Sumardjan was the first to receive an award in the fifth five-yearly congress in 1987 from then Minister/State Secretary Sudharmono on behalf of the President in Ujungpandang.

Soeharto presented the awards to historian Sartono Kartodirdjo and sociologist Soedjatmoko at the sixth congress in Yogyakarta. (amd)