Sociologist blames govt and elite for crisis

Sociologist blames govt and elite for crisis

YOGYAKARTA (JP): An observer blamed the worsening economic
crisis in Indonesia on a lack of sense of crisis within the
government and elite in the country.

"The government and the country's elite do not feel there is a
crisis going on, which is why they are still using the old
economic paradigm that is no longer applicable," Loekman
Soetrisno from Gadjah Mada University said in a seminar on the
challenges facing women in a global society held in Yogyakarta
yesterday.

The seminar, which also featured Adullah Cholil, an assistant
to the minister for women's affairs, was held to commemorate
Kartini Day (Indonesian women's day) and the 25th anniversary of
the university's Center for Geographic Research.

Loekman, a professor of sociology, pointed out that while the
people demanded economic and political reform, the elite group
was still debating the definition of reforms. "This is very
saddening," he added.

Had the government begun to comply with the economic reform
package introduced in cooperation with the International Monetary
Fund earlier, "the country's economy would not have deteriorated
so badly and mothers would not now have difficulties buying milk
for their children."

He added that the government should introduce a new model for
development.

Loekman conceded that women were among the worst hit by the
crisis and that female workers should therefore be allowed to
establish their own unions to strengthen their bargaining
position.

He said the government could cooperate with non-government
organizations (NGOs) to set up training centers for female
workers in an effort to boost their competitive position in local
and foreign markets.

"Female workers should be trained in skills required by the
market," he said.

Training centers should be developed on the basis of gender
equality so that women have the same opportunity as men to
improve their skills, he said.

With current skills and education levels among Indonesian
women, the 21st century and globalization might prove to be more
of a threat than an opportunity.

Cholil expressed concern over the hardship women faced because
of the economic crisis. Many families had been forced to withdraw
their daughters from school and send them out to seek employment,
marry them off, use them as "collateral" for bad loans, or even
force them into prostitution, he said.

However, women have fared better than in past generations, he
said. As an example, he cited the increasing number of
servicewomen in the Armed Forces (ABRI), which has risen from
6,511 in 1988 to 10,437 in 1996, including two who have reached
the rank of general.

The two to achieve this distinction were the late Roekmini
Koesoemoastoeti and J. Mandagie. (23/44/rms)