APCET council discusses post-Suharto politics

September 23, 1998
Issue 

By Jill Hickson

On August 29-30, the council of the Asia-Pacific Coalition for East Timor (APCET) met in Jakarta to discuss the post-Suharto situation for Indonesia and East Timor, and the future activities of APCET.

APCET is a coalition of solidarity groups working for independence for East Timor. Around 30 council members, East Timorese and other observers attended the historic meeting: under Suharto's rule, it could not have taken place in Jakarta for fear of disruption, the arrest of Indonesian and East Timorese participants, and the deportation of other members.

Indonesian APCET members Coki Naipospos from PIJAR (Centre for Information and Action Network for Reform) and Wilson from SPRIM (Indonesian People's Struggle in Solidarity with the Maubere People) presented their analyses of the post-Suharto regime. This was followed by a report from Fernando, chairperson of Renetil (National Resistance of East Timor Students).

Coki said it was still too early to make a full analysis of the situation, but that there had been some small political changes, such as articles critical of the regime now being published in the mass media and the regime's offer of "special status" for East Timor.

The two major problems, he said, are the need for foreign investment to solve Indonesia's economic crisis and the existence of factions in the army.

Coki said that the May elections would determine the future. There are now more than 70 parties, but five major contenders, he said.

The first is Golkar, still led by a government minister, which in the past has claimed 70% of the vote but which today's polls put at 10-15% support.

While Megawati Sukarnoputri, leader of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) has yet to be legally sanctioned, leaving her election candidacy in question, polls indicate she has 2025%.

The Nation Awakening Party, created by Gus Dur, is the largest party and could take 30%. This party has expressed an interest in allying with Megawati.

The Star and Crescent Party is a traditional Muslim group based in the rural areas and villages, and the National Mandate Party is led by Amien Rais, who heads the second largest Muslim group of 15 million people. Rais' party has the support of the middle class and the urban poor and may get 1015% in the polls.

Coki said that Gus Dur, Amien Rais and Megawati are open to supporting the East Timorese and that a referendum would be held if their parties are elected.

Coki argued that, because of the presence of right-wing Muslim groups which want to take power, but are prevented by the presence of the military on the streets, Indonesians should not call for the abolition of the dual function of the military.

Rather, he said, demands should be raised which will reduce the role of the military, such as separating the police from the military, solve the problem of factions in the military, and calling for the army to retire from politics. In his view, the way forward is a moderate one.

Wilson, recently released from prison, was jailed for his activities as head of SPRIM and a leader of the People's Democratic Party (PRD).

The democratic forces now have two options, he said. They can wait for the army to get organised again and attack the people's movement, or they can move in a positive direction by taking the initiative and forcing the democratic space open even more.

Wilson described the change in people's consciousness in Indonesia and argued that political demands can and should be raised in street actions. They key demand, he said, is to stop the military violence.

Wilson outlined the current basis for an anti-military coalition. It could include the victims and relatives of military repression, including East Timorese and the people of Aceh and West Papua. He described the establishment of a people's assembly in Lampung, whose key demand is to stop military violence.

It could include individuals in NGOs, radical intellectuals and professionals who oppose the role of the military, as well as the radical movement which has expressed its opposition to the dual function of the movement since the mid-1990s.

It could also include students, most of whom have not joined a political party, and sections of the media, which is now more openly criticising the military.

Wilson pointed out that some of the new parties have been established by the Habibie government, others are being funded by Suharto's friends, and still others are being led by right-wing intellects and some have gained the support of the military.

He said that the military is withdrawing its support for Golkar, which has lost legitimacy among the people, and is preparing to back new political parties. Suharto's huge wealth nevertheless gives him an opportunity to organise a political structure for his return, Wilson said.

Now is the time to push forward the struggle for democracy, Wilson said, describing how the people's responses to the economic crisis have created an atmosphere of struggle.

The political leadership — Megawati, Gus Dur and others — must organise the movement around demands which can unite the small left and the more popular, moderate parties in one political platform, Wilson said. If the movement is not led, the military can provoke riots and there will be anarchy, he added.

Because the military have no legitimacy and are on the defensive, Wilson argued, now is the right time to unite to push the military out of civil life.

Wilson explained that the student resistance movement, while it has no national organisation yet, is immensely popular among the people and is still an important factor in politics.

As well, several radical groups which have begun to lead the struggle for democracy and protest actions, while still small, have a great deal of legitimacy in the eyes of the people, he said. He mentioned PUDI (United Democracy Party), PIJAR, PRD and the East Timor groups in Java.

Political demands must be raised that will be taken up by the people and involve a broad spectrum of people, like the anti-Suharto platform did last May, Wilson said.

Fernando, general secretary of Renetil, said that Habibie has only made cosmetic changes in East Timor.

He agreed with Wilson that an anti-military focus was the right platform for the current situation because the Indonesian people are now organised and could free Indonesian society of the military.

Fernando pointed out that the process of gaining a referendum on independence in East Timor is stalled because the government is claiming there would be a civil war in East Timor after a referendum.

He described the steps being taken by the East Timorese to avoid such an outcome, including proposals for a dialogue with those who defend Indonesian occupation of East Timor.

Fernando said that the National Mandate Party, the Nation Awakening Party and the PDI have declared their support for a referendum. He also referred to the actions held to demand independence for Aceh and West Papua which have been supported by the East Timorese.

Fernando emphasised that the East Timorese rejected Habibie's "autonomy" proposal. The CNRM, he said, had proposed autonomy, but only as a starting point to make a referendum possible. Throughout May and June, thousands of East Timorese took to the streets to protest against Habibie's autonomy.

Fernando argued that with international support for East Timor growing, now is the time to push the Indonesian government into agreeing to a referendum.

The second day of the council meeting was spent evaluating APCET's work, receiving reports from the country groups and planning projects and campaigns.

Future campaigns include a "Free Xanana" campaign across the south-east Asian countries where APCET has members.

It was also agreed to sponsor and organise a speaking tour of an Indonesia pro-democracy movement activist and an activist from the East Timor resistance movement in the next six months.

Campaigns opposing the training of Indonesia's military which have already begun in the United States, Australia and New Zealand were supported, as was the idea of a campaign around East Timor's "disappeared" and against the Timor Gap Treaty.

Plans for an independent investigation team to study human rights in East Timor next year, an international conference on human rights in East Timor, and an international conference on the Indonesian democracy movement was also discussed.

It was proposed that the next meeting of APCET be held in a free East Timor.

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