Since the fall of President Suharto in May 1998, Indonesia, the
third largest country in Asia, has been facing a political,
economic and social crisis. Racial and religious clashes,
culminating in riots, burning and chaos, have become a daily event
throughout the country. There are signs that this multi-racial,
multi-religious and multi-cultural country may disintegrate just as
Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union.
There are two major reasons why Indonesia is facing the crisis.
First, Suharto failed to keep the balance of power between the
armed forces and Islam, just as Sukarno had failed in his interplay
of strength between Communism and the armed forces. When the
balance was tilted, chaos and disasters followed. The second reason
is that the Indonesian people, at least a section of them, have
lost the spirit of tolerance -- symbolised in the Indonesian state
crest, Bhenneka Tunggal Ika ('Unity in Diversity') -- which is so
vital in a multi-religious and plural society. The mass killing of
thousands of ethnic Chinese on 13 May 1998; the appearance of
mysterious 'ninja' murders, the burning of churches and mosques,
and the religious clashes between Christians and Muslims in Ambon
have all indicated that this spirit of tolerance which was once so
strongly imbedded in the Indonesian culture is fast evaporating.
There seems to be no more rule of law in the country. The cry for
'jihad' among the Muslims in Jakarta, to take revenge on the
Christians in Ambon, is making the more moderate religious leaders
panicky. There is a tendency among the Indonesians to take the law
into their own hands. Some extreme Muslims even hope to establish
an Islamic State of Indonesia.
Economically, Indonesia'scommerce and industries have been
ruined, with foreign investors shunning the country. Millions of
people are dying everyday from hunger. The economic situation is
deteriorating everyday.
The author of this book is the former Singapore Ambassador to
Indonesia in 1970-74, and was a journalist who had taken an
interest in Indonesia since 1955 when he went to Bandung to cover
the Afro-Asian conference. When he was Ambassador, he had the
opportunity to travel widely across the country and observe the
psyche of its people at close quarters. He has made many friends,
from President Suharto. the military leaders, governors, mayors,
down to ordinary people from all walks of life, including
journalists, musicians and artists.
In this book, he gives insightful analyses and perspectives of
the political collapse of Suharto and describes the danger facing
the country. He also describes the diversity in the history,
traditions, customs and cultures of the various ethnic groups,
including Javanese mysticism, the happy-go-lucky Sundanese, the
hot-tempered Madurese, the charming Balinese, the Minangkabaus who
are matriarchal, the militant Bataks, the Malays who were once the
founders of the Sri-Vijiya Buddhist empire, and then the Bugis,
Makassarese, Torajans, Ambonese, Timorese and Irianese. The
accounts are based on the author's personal impressions and
reflections of his encounters with the different races.
The author is of the opinion that it is necessary for the
peoples of so many ethnicities, religions and cultures to remember
their national motto -- Bhenneka Tunggal -- so that the country can
survive the present crisis. After all, Indonesia has 336 ethnic
groups speaking 250 dialects whichreflect a staggering racial,
religious and cultural diversity.
The aim of this book is to bring about a better understanding of
the Indonesian peoples and to eradicate the misunderstanding and
misconception about the country.
General
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