Timely analysis of Indonesian affairs

Timely analysis of Indonesian affairs

Reformasi, Crisis and Change in Indonesia; Edited by Arief
Budiman, Barbara Hatley and Damien Kingsbury; published by Monash
Asia Institute, Melbourne, 1999; 402 pages; AU$24.95

MELBOURNE (JP): As a trading partner, Australia's interest in
Indonesia has not only been limited to the country's ability to
generate profit. Australia is also increasingly becoming a center
for open and erudite fora on Indonesian affairs. The perspectives
of these fora go beyond mere trade and pecuniary profitability,
neither are the forms limited to seminars or conferences. An
important book recently published by Monash Asia Institute is
indeed a written form of an extensive and intensive forum on
Indonesia.

Most of the chapters in Reformasi, Crisis and Change in
Indonesia was prepared and written between two landmark events,
Soeharto's resignation in May 1998 and Indonesia's first free and
fair legislative elections in June 1999. The period itself was
saturated with history, and it would have filled a thick volume
for that reason alone. The fact that these chapters were written
just before the June 7 elections makes them more interesting, for
readers can gradually match the theories and predictions with
events now unraveling before them.

Arief Budiman, Barbara Hatley and Damien Kingsbury have thus
gathered and edited writings which explore the political, social
and intellectual realms of events, that might, intentionally or
inadvertently, shape the series of occurrence, separately as well
as collectively.

In section one, which discusses the economic crisis, Mark
McGillivray and Oliver Morrissey's chapter takes us several steps
back to find the causes of the economic and financial meltdown in
Indonesia. McGillivray and Morrissey question the World Bank's
assertion that precrisis economic growth in Southeast Asia was a
miracle, and offer arguments and figures to counter the
assertion. As for lessons to be learned from the onset of the
crisis, particularly in Indonesia, McGillivray and Morrissey
point to over-borrowing, corruption and nepotism. Inevitably the
bubble, built on debt and implicitly underwritten by the
government, burst and the country was immediately overwhelmed by
political and economic turmoil.

Adding to this dimension, Muhammad Chatib Basri says there was
a need for a radical departure from the past, since democratic
institutions for good governance, which were so far lacking, were
essential for credible economic policies.

Section two discusses the events, predictions and actors of
the political crisis, covering a vast area of historical
movements and future challenges.

Here, Arief Budiman cautiously agreed with Francis Fukuyama's
theory that democracy, despite backlashes, was inevitable for all
countries. Budiman suggests Indonesia's crisis had was "an
economic-cum-political crisis". He also describes the hole out of
which the country must crawl. He says domestic and overseas
investments are desperately needed, but to gain investors'
confidence, a credible and legitimate government needs to be in
place. Interestingly, at the time he wrote this, Budiman believed
a fair general election would very likely end President Habibie's
rule. We are obviously still witnessing history in the making.

Gerry van Klinken looks at ways of striking a democratic deal.
He theorizes that ruling hard-liners could have offered
opposition reformists a trade-off by promising their own
reformation into a much more modest, accountable political force,
and asking the reformists to share power until elections were
held. The way van Klinken reads the situation, the Ciganjur
statement indicated opposition reformists would be open to such a
deal, but he doubts the inclination of radical oppositionists to
accept it.

Ken Young reminds the reader of the complexity of the reform
issue, and what the word means to different people. In brief,
Young identifies three themes which in late-1998 underlaid the
demands for reform. In political terms, the themes were the
demand for greater democracy, honesty and accountability in
public life, and policies which secured people's welfare. Young
introduces some optimism in his chapter by saying that even if
the reform movement was able to concentrate on core reforms that
did not solve all problems instantly but succeeded in creating
powerful obstacles for restorationists, the course of Indonesian
democracy would be well on its way.

The likelihood for political change after Soeharto, the issue
of military-civilian relations since May 1998 and how the Armed
Forces fell from grace with the revelation of their involvement
in the activities of vigilantes, are respectively explored in
detail by Vedi Hadiz, Harold Crouch and David Bourchier.

The role of Islam is also elaborated on in Marcus Mietzner's
chapter "Nationalism and Islamic Politics: Political Islam in the
Post-Suharto Era", and Mohammad Fajrul Falaakh's "Islam and the
Current Transition to Democracy in Indonesia". Edward Aspinall
chronicles and analyzes student activism since 1967, Max Lane
discusses mass politics and political change in Indonesia, and Th
Sumartana writes about the endeavor to build cooperation between
religious groups in a time of national crisis.

Section three not only jolts the reader's mind, but also
reaches the heart. The anger, fear and bewilderment it invokes
are mixed with amusement and a sense of loss. Barbara Hatley
recounts events relating to cultural expression and social
transformation, allowing the reader can see a story of bravery
and persistent creativity in the face of the state's organized
repression.

This is reinforced by Halim HD's chapter on arts networks and
the struggle for democratization. The most thought-provoking and
emotional piece in this section is Ariel Heryanto's chapter,
"Rape, Race and Reporting". Rita Kolibonso is particularly
enlightening as she discusses the perspective and roles of women
in the country's democratization process, which is extremely
important despite the fact that the problem of violence against
women had long been denied and pushed to the background by
various authorities. Of particular concern also is the enormous
need for law reform, as detailed by T. Mulya Lubis, Mas Achmad
Santosa and Tim Lindsey.

Reformasi, Crisis and Change in Indonesia is not only worth
reading, it should be recommended reading for everyone who cares
about what is happening in Indonesia.

-- Dewi Anggraeni