Sociologists warn of sectarianism
Sociologists warn of sectarianism
A. Junaidi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Noted sociologists have warned that sectarian politics, prolonged
regional conflicts and corruption could undermine nationalism.
Interviewed separately by The Jakarta Post, sociologists Ignas
Kleden and Imam B. Prasodjo called on the government and the
people to address these problems in order to prevent the nation
from disintegrating.
"At the beginning of the reform era, I expected the new
government would be able to solve these problems. So far, I think
the government has failed," Ignas, who heads the Center for East
Indonesia Affairs, said on Monday.
He said the ascendancy of sectarian politics, including
religious identity in political parties and in the bureaucracy,
threatened nationalism.
Ignas underscored the significance of nationalism when youths
from throughout the archipelago pledged a nationhood oath 85
years ago today. When Indonesian became an independent nation in
1945, the government designated Oct. 28 as Youth Pledge Day.
Ignas said political parties and certain elements within the
bureaucracy were trying to insert religious identity into
legislation, a move he said could damage national solidarity.
"Now people tend to mix with people of the same faith or
ethnic group. It's okay being religious, but it should not stop
us from forging friendships with others," he said.
There is still a debate being held about whether people can be
religious and nationalist at the same time, he said.
At the 1928 congress, dozens of youths from various faiths and
ethnic groups pledged that they belonged to "One Nation, One
Motherland and One Language: Indonesia", while ignoring their
differences.
On Aug. 18, 1945, thanks to the nationalism of the youths, the
country's founding fathers, including Islamic figures, agreed to
exclude sharia Islamic law from the Constitution for the sake of
national unity.
Several political parties, including the United Development
Party (PPP), which is chaired by Vice President Hamzah Haz, and
the Crescent and Star Party (PBB) chaired by Yusril Ihza
Mahendra, who is also minister of justice and human rights, are
currently fighting for the adoption of sharia.
Apart from sectarian politics, the country has experienced
prolonged religious and tribal conflicts in the regions following
the downfall of the autocrat Soeharto.
"There is no political will from the central government to
settle the conflicts. The elite in Jakarta have even had a hand
in exacerbating the conflicts for their own short-term political
interests," said Ignas, who received an award on Aug. 14, 2003,
for his dedication and work as a social philosopher.
These conflicts have included violence between Madurese
migrants and Dayaks in Kalimantan, Muslim and Christian violence
in Poso, Central Sulawesi, and Maluku, and the separatist
conflict in Aceh.
Besides the conflicts, Ignas said continuing corruption would
also undermine national solidarity by bringing the nation to
bankruptcy.
"The government has failed to tackle this problem. Society
also has not taken a firm stance on the issue, such as alienating
corruptors," he said.
Sociologists Imam B. Prasodjo agreed that waning nationalism
was due to the failure of the government and the people to solve
the nation's problems.
"The government has failed to become a model of nationalism.
The pride of being a member of one nation, or shall we call it
nationalism, has reached its lowest levels here," said Imam of
the University of Indonesia.
He said the way the government handled many issues, including
recent cases of the mistreatment of Indonesian migrant workers,
reflected its poor appreciation of nationalism.
"So let us start solving these problems through small
individual actions, which can help increase our national
solidarity," said Imam, who chairs the World Conscience
Foundation, which helps migrant workers is involved in conflict
resolution in the regions.