Habibie gets an unwanted birthday present
By Helen Jarvis
JAKARTA — Tensions are high throughout Indonesia one month after Suharto stepped down from the presidency, in the wake of massive demonstrations, handing over to his vice-president, B.J. Habibie, who declared that the era of reform had begun.
But what is this thing called "reform"? What should change? How will things change? These are the subjects of continual meetings, seminars and discussions.
At the same time, people are not waiting for the answers to be reached, but at every level — right down into the villages — are taking unilateral action. Demonstrations and protests known as "shows of feeling" demand that particular officials resign, or the restitution of land illegally taken.
Not a corner of Indonesia is exempt from this questioning and challenging of authority and of what has gone on throughout the 32 years of the New Order.
Progressive forces are campaigning in the name of "total reform" to distinguish themselves from the so-called reforms of Habibie.
The Committee for Total Reform brought together some 25 organisations on June 25 in Jakarta in a demonstration to mark Habibie's birthday. The platform contained three demands: release all political prisoners; dissolve the parliament (MPR/DPR); end military violence.
The committee included representatives from struggles in East Timor, West Papua, Aceh, Central Sulawesi and Lampung, together with a host of activist groups and new political parties, including the Committee in Support of Megawati (KPM), the National Committee for Democratic Struggle (KNPD) and PUDI (Indonesian United Democratic Party), whose leader Sri Bintang Pamungkas was released from detention in the wake of the May events.
The road leading up to Habibie's house, where the action was held, was blocked by a cordon of armed troops, replete with rifles and tear gas launchers. Plainclothes military men with bulging pistols under their elegant batik shirts filmed the proceedings.
The rally was militant and spirited, with posters, flags and banners of the various participants, including a large East Timor flag. The latter attracted the attention of the military, whose commanding officer approached the Timorese students and informed them that it was not appropriate for the flag to be flown in Jakarta — only in East Timor! The students responded by folding up their flag and announcing to the rally that they were happy to do so if their flag could indeed be flown in East Timor.
Sri Bintang's concluding address to the rally denounced the military's continuing political intimidation and demanded the release of all political prisoners, as had been promised when he and Muchtar Pakpahan were set free.
This week two major actions by workers were prevented from taking place by the army, whose presence has increased throughout the city as it tries to reimpose its previous level of control.
On June 21 some 10,000 workers were prevented from coming into the city to a planned rally at the University of Indonesia organised by KOBAR (Workers Committee for Reform Action).
On June 23 the army stopped a planned action by SBSI (Indonesian Prosperity Trade Union) in which workers were to circle the city in buses. The buses were prevented from coming near the SBSI headquarters, and more than 500 workers were blocked in the street outside the building.
The situation was close to conflict as the workers insisted on their right to protest in the streets and to go to the parliament while more than 100 fully armed troops formed five lines across the street with guns and tear gas. Other ranks of riot troops and armoured personnel carriers were visible behind.
In the end, the SBSI officials decided not to risk bloodshed, and a press conference was held to denounce this intimidation.
The call for an end to the "dual function" of the army — involving military intervention in political, social and economic life — which was a hallmark of Suharto's New Order regime, is becoming one of the main demands of the total reform groups, for without it no real independent political activity can take place.
Meanwhile, new parties are being formed right and left, including a new PKI (but this time standing for the Cultural Party of Indonesia rather than Communist Party of Indonesia), a new PNI (National Party of Indonesia), Marhaen Party, Murba Party and more conservative parties such as the Women's Party, People's Economy Party, Indonesian Chinese Party for Reform and People's Sovereignty Party.
The progressive ones on June 25 formed the Communication Forum for Parties for Total Reform. Included in this forum is KEPAL (Preparation Committee for the Legalisation of the People's Democratic Party), a new group needed because the regime has not lifted the specific ban on the PRD and its mass organisations, and its members have still not been released from jail, despite the earlier promises of Habibie.
All forces are testing to what degree the reform process can be advanced or retarded. While the government still has the army on side, its control of other aspects of its apparatus is disintegrating, while popular mobilisations and the search for new political forms of organisation continue apace.