Vijay Prashad: Indonesia Must Dare to Decolonise Itself Amid the Global Crisis

Historian and intellectual Vijay Prashad is encouraging Indonesia to take a firm position in addressing the increasingly complex dynamics of global geopolitics, by returning to the spirit of the 1955 Asian-African Conference and the legacy of Soekarno’s thought.

This was conveyed at the public lecture titled The Global South Today: Crisis, Resistance, and Possibilities at the Grand Theatre of Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM), Jakarta, on Monday, 20 April, which was a continuation of a similar forum in Bandung the previous day.

In his introduction, the Head of the PDIP History Agency, Bonnie Triyana, emphasised that Indonesia’s history cannot be separated from the international network of anti-colonial movements. This member of Commission X of the DPR RI touched on the roles of global figures and the Asian-African Conference as the pinnacle of solidarity among Global South countries.

“Colonialism may have ended, but coloniality continues to this day,” said Bonnie.

This politician with a background in history also stressed the importance of decolonisation not only in politics, but also in language and ways of thinking.

“We must decolonise our language, because many terms we use are actually products of colonialism,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Vijay Prashad highlighted changes in the global landscape since the 2007-2008 financial crisis, which he believes has triggered concerns in the United States and its allies about the rise of Asia, particularly China.

“They believe with military power and media, they can force countries like China and Indonesia back to their old positions as the world’s labourers,” said Vijay.

Vijay assessed that pressures on countries not aligned with the West, such as Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela, constitute a new form of imperialism. “Iran is a symbol of non-compliance. If you do not follow the United States today, you must pay the price,” he said.

Vijay also openly criticised military aggression and referred to the involvement of the United States and Israel in global conflicts, including in Gaza. “We know what is happening. The United States and Israel are behind the genocide in Gaza. We are not confused, but we lack the courage to say stop,” he said.

In the context of Indonesia, Vijay encouraged the courage to advance the spirit of decolonisation amid global pressures. “If America says ‘America First’, then we too must dare to decolonise our perspective and prioritise the interests of the nation,” he stated.