The Indonesian Government is continuing dangerous actions that may goad its opposition into increasing disruption and violence. The latest comes with this week’s warning from the armed forces that the free-speech forum outside the headquarters of the Opposition Indonesian Democracy Party (PDI) must come to an end. The Government and armed forces seem to have no understanding that the nation’s successful economic progress over the past decade will inevitably bring with it demands for greater participation in government and demands for a more equitable share of the wealth. And that if these are not met in a reasonable manner, strikes, demonstrations and violence almost inevitably follow. Indeed, it is surprising that the symbiosis of economics and politics is lost on the Suharto regime, though perhaps it might see the relationship only in micro terms and only flowing only one way … personal economic gains following political power, rather than demands for political power following national economic gains.
Last month the government engineered it so that its own stooge has taken over the formal position of leader of the PDI from Megawati Sukarnoputri, though the broad membership still sees Megawati, daughter of founding president Sukarno, as their leader. PDI has successfully called for strikes and rallies. The trend, as evidenced by the threat to the rallies, seems for a tragic escalation of conflict. It would be better if the trend went the other way: to the institutionalisation of effective, non-violent opposition and the acknowledgement that democracy means greater and broader participation and that power can change hands peacefully from time to time.