The long, winding and stinking road to true democracy

The long, winding and stinking road to true democracy

JAKARTA (JP): Since most Indonesians are still "young", the
majority of the population in this fourth-largest nation on earth
might not have any recollection whatsoever about the first,
violent-free and truly democratic elections that Indonesia had in
1955. Older people, who supposedly were eager voters then, are
suddenly suffering severe amnesia now -- ostensibly due to
systematic brainwashing over the past 44 years.

According to the great teaching of the past, democracy was a
filthy western import. They said we Asians did not believe in it.
So for all practical purposes in this current reform era, the
newborn democracy can be anything but democracy, particularly to
contemporary and sophisticated Indonesians like Jakartans.

First of all, democracy means violence. Lots and lots of it
has been happening lately in the city: shootings, kidnappings,
butchering, raping, burning, torturing, carjacking -- you name
it, we've now got it.

Democracy may also mean adopting a new ideology and
constitution. To many minorities in Jakarta -- and some of those
who belong to the single majority group -- democracy could
translate as the transformation of Indonesia into a theocratic
nation. And that, of course, would be the surest and fastest way
to civil war.

Democracy builds tall and sharp fences. Barbwire is everywhere
from the Glodok and Mangga Dua areas in North Jakarta to the Blok
M tunnels in South Jakarta. Even the beautiful lawn surrounding
the Jakarta Stock Exchange building is now littered with ugly
net-like metals.

Democracy is akin to living like a lab rat in an artificial
maze. Barrier gates (or portal as the local tongue fondly calls
them) have been erected at an exponential rate since the reform
era begun. Try driving around in residential areas in Jakarta
after 9 p.m. After stopping and reversing 10 times for three
minutes at those roadblocks, you can't help feeling as if you're
actually an experimental object in a research lab somewhere in
one of the Milky Way's corners.

Democracy has created total confusion, and -- most importantly
-- hysterical laughter, which stems from a plethora of newly
established political parties with lively acronyms. Take PAN for
instance. Many people in the capital call it Partai Amien Nakal
(Naughty Amien Party). PKB they call Partai Kiai Buta (Blind
Islamic Teacher Party). PDI they call Partai Dagelan Indonesia
(Indonesia Comedy Party). And Golkar is Golongan Orang Lihai
Karena Ahli Rekayasa (Group of Shrewd People Due to "Engineering"
Expertise). The latter, of course, claims to be a born-again
political party.

Democracy has brought a very colorful person to that white
palace down by the National Monument. We now have a passionate,
highly intelligent president who makes funny faces like Ace
Ventura -- the pet detective -- right in front of state guests,
sings ballads like a karaoke champ and swears with a straight
face that his predecessor never lied. (Al Gore did a similar
thing during the presidential race in 1992. He swore that Clinton
never "inhaled".)

Democracy is a great family outing, too. I was driving in
Menteng a short while ago. Supporters of PPP were in front of me,
moving slowly on a gray scooter. Dad, mom and two small boys in
green attire and no helmets. Suddenly, a small battalion of
nationalist PDI Perjuangan approached from the opposite
direction. Same stuff -- dad, mom and two small boys. Only these
folks wore red and rode on a spanking red motorcycle. No helmets
at all, either.

The PPP dad saw his counterpart and immediately beeped his
horn. The PDI Perjuangan dad turned his head toward the PPP dad
and beeped his horn. Suddenly, the two families raised their arms
and started waving wildly at each other. Wide and pearly white
smiles were exchanged with much enthusiasm. Aaahh!

My own family, though, thinks that democracy has a strong
smell to it. In a formal letter dated April 6, our neighborhood
chief announced that "registration for the general election can
commence today ... behind the garbage dump on Patal Senayan
Street."

The road to "true" democracy in Jakarta, or Indonesia for that
matter, is frighteningly long and winding. It's thickly coated
with blood, tears, fears, disorder, chortles, grins, plus tons
and tons of dung.

But you can bet that I'll be walking down that road to the
voting booth on June 7, 1999.

-- Binsar Lumbantobing