Still along way to go to civil society: Lecturer

JAKARTA (JP): Economic crisis has prompted the establishment of professional organizations but whether or not they will help spurred civil society is questionable, says a university lecturer.

"The mock up drawing of a civil society is there but whether it will eventually emerge is not certain yet," said A. Prasetyantoko of Atma Jaya university in a book launching discussion here Tuesday.

The discussion, held at the same university, launched two books: Professionals Versus the New Order Regime, by Prasetyantoko and Anti-violence Politics Post 1999 Elections by Emanuel Subangun.

Prasetyantoko said numerous organizations had sprouted up after president Soeharto fell from grace last year like Professional Society for Democracy (MPD), Professional Solidarity for Reformation (SPUR), Jakarta University Graduates Movement (GSJ), Thursday Night Club and Indonesian Professional Alliance (APPI).

These professional groupings, he said, had two basic problems, one weak organization fundamentals and second their relatively less populist character due to its overly individual characteristics.

He said these organizations came to the fore due to similar traits of their members such as higher education, familiarity to information technology and their activist background during their student days.

These common background, he said, coupled with the economic crisis, the declining process of the New Order government and the emergence of people power were crucial factors behind the birth of the organizations.

The agony behind this phenomenon is the non-existence of an independent middle-class in Indonesia, he said.

Prasetyantoko cited the extremely long period of Dutch colonialization in Indonesia as one reason. The other being the far too fast process of industrialization in a vastly authoritarian government.

The two main pillars of democracy: the press and the university are the "extra-state" forces which somehow managed to keep a distance with the culture dictated by the state, he said.

The ideal picture, Prasetyantoko said, would be to see these two pillars being supported by the professionals, businessmen, and investors who champion ethical norms and who possess bargaining power vis a vis the government through their respective organizations.

He said the New Order possessed characteristics like, militarism which employed terror to achieve stability, hegemony over all elements of the society, and patron-client approach where private sectors subsidize the power.

In this condition market-driven economy could not perform and initiate an artificial capitalism. In a crisis, the above characteristic would aggravate the situation.

"And worse, the reformation is executed by uncredible and illegitimate government," he said.

Emmanuel Subangun said that the students' role in the era of reform faced three challenges: their ability to think, participate in organization, and see the "intangible" things.

The tangible things, like civilian security, anti-riot troops, weapons, he said, were relatively more simple than the unseen.

The intangible things were the result of long time struggle between democracy and the political elite which started from the 1960s when the New Order began their rule up to Soeharto's downfall.

Only by having a good grasp these complex process will the students with their battle against the status quo forces, he said. (06)