Students: Wake up to reality

Students: Wake up to reality

Irine Hiraswari Gayatri, Researcher, The RIDEP Institute,
Jakarta

One alternative apart from so many parties vying for their own
self interests may be the students -- if they are not too late in
realizing what is happening.

A continuous characteristic has underlined the spirit of the
Indonesian student movement: The endless discourse on whether
theirs is a "moral movement" or "political movement".

Authorities have used the term "moral movement" to shut out
any attempt to oppose the stability of the regime. The previous
New Order regime also stigmatized the term "political movement",
associating it with subversion. Anything "political" was
negative. Citizens, including intellectuals and students, were
afraid of politics, which has become equal to "an act of taking
power"; or "taking advantage of others".

Differentiating the concepts of "moral" or "political"
movements is no longer relevant.

The term "moral movement" refers to those involved in attempts
to improve the morale of the surrounding environment. Describing
the 1966 students movement in which he was active, Arief Budiman
cited the American cowboy movie, Shane. The cowboy Shane would
suddenly come out of nowhere to exterminate thugs that had long
terrorized villagers. He refused the respected position of
sheriff and instead rode off into the sunset.

Arief likened the students to the cowboy, who in 1966 were
said to be crucial in the ousting of the Old Order regime under
Sukarno. On one hand, the moral movement represented the people's
mandate, who were unsatisfied by The Old Order's incapacity to
feed its citizens. But the "moral movement" represented by the
1966 student generation also suffered inevitable consequences.

The students' struggle was only regarded as "camouflage"
toward the real means: The transformation of the powers that be
into a new regime, the New Order. Thus, the students' ideal of
enlightening people who were suffering, was not achieved.

History has noted the students' efforts in introducing new
values in society. The late 1970s saw the beginning of a new
context in Indonesian politics. Students faced contradictions in
their ideals. Members of the political elite, who came to power
through a bloody tragedy, neglected their "holy" calls. Some went
along with the newly born regime; others were left behind, and
stayed outside the political arena. Hence the moral movement
campaign became more popular among students.

Indonesia is now facing a high degree of complexities. A need
for fundamental changes, campaigned by various groups, goes
unheeded. Students' appeals are no longer effective either. The
government, now under the leadership of its fifth president,
seems to run its own political agenda without touching the basic
issues: Economic recovery and legal supremacy, including the
upholding of human rights.

Will the students confine themselves again within the "moral
movement" jargons? Political parties have been unable to conduct
its function as a catalyst for people's interests. Non government
organizations are vulnerable to their own internal problems.

Today, one cannot depend on what seems to be the moment. One
day, Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung goes to trial, the next day
thousands resist the Golkar Party. Another day the Kontras (the
independent Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of
Violence) office is attacked, the next day, a new alliance among
pro-democracy activists is built. And the old guard, thanks in
part to international support via economic recovery programs, is
striving to return, and may indeed regain control.

Plans to re-establish "political stability" is now at hand.
And once the students and pro-democracy activists realize this,
it may be too late: Everything that they struggled for could
vanish virtually overnight.