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.