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いまこそ民主主義を! |
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A CALL FOR SOLIDARITY WITH THE INDONESIAN PEOPLE Indonesia maybe experiencing its worst economic crisis in 30 years. But, the crisis is not just a crisis in currency, or the lack of food, or the high cost of basic commodities, or the lack of jobs-it is first and foremost the lack of freedom. For more than three decades -the Suharto regime used political repression in subjugating its people. We must not forget that Suharto grab power in 1965 after a bloodbath in which at least 500,000 people were slaughtered and tens of thousands were imprisoned - at least 15,000 were imprisoned without trials for 15 years. At present, when majority of the Indonesian people are hungry and without liberty, the Suharto family owns television and radio networks, banks, chemical factories, pharmaceutical companies, shopping malls, hotels, paper and pulp mills, shipping lines, taxi companies, airlines, communications satellite industry, and even tollways. In fact, it is their family who is also behind Metro Manila Skyway projects. In 1989, it is estimated that the Suharto family was ranked among the world's dozen richest families with a net wealth of US$30 billion. It is no wonder that the language the Indonesian people are on the rbink of resorting to is violence. They know that it is the only language that Suharto understands. While everybody is calling for restraint on the part of the military and sobriety of the protesters and looters, little about the 32 years of Suharto tyranny would suggest that he will act with restraint and compassion. And we dread how much more anger is there to explode. Nevertheless, we must not stop on calling for restraint and sobriety. It is the repetition of the 1965 carnage that we must help to avoid. It is obvious what the situation shows - the polarization of Suharto's government on one hand and the Indonesian people on the other. Long overdue, it is time to recognize that the Suharto government is not Indonesia. It is time for the international community -the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United States and other foreign governments, business corporations - particularly those who helped enriched Suharto, gave legitimacy to his rule, and armed his military ro reflect on the sitruation in order to redefine their concept of diplomacy and terms of relationship with Indonesia. It is time for the international community to force Suharto to setp down. For Suharto to insist in remaining in power is to escalate the level of violence. The Philippine government, together with ASEAN governments, is also guilty of legitimizing Suharto's rule - they have been blind to Suharto's crimes not only against Indonesian people but also the people of nations it has colonized like East Timor. It is time for the Philippines to speak up right now and stop being distracted by the national elections. Now is the ideal time for the Philippine government, which is in transition, to lead the ASEAN in radically reviewing its relationship with the Suharto regime - it is time for it to see the obvious fact that Suharto does not represent the Indonesian people which in the first place should be the object of the ASEAN peoples solidarity ties. It is time for the president-epect, obviously the man who claims to be for the masses, to likewise throw his lot behind the Indonesian masses, and not fall prey to the cannard about "constructive engagement" or "non-interference" within ASEAN. Drawing inspiration from the Philippine experience of 1986, the Filipino people must express their support to the Indonesians and ask the Philippine government to do the same and not cower behind diplomatic garbage. The Philippine Solidarity for East Timor and Indonesia (Phil-SETI) stands firm on the side of the democratic forces within Indonesia today. We salute their courage and express our warmest solidarity with them. We call on all freedom-loving peoples of the world to likewise do the same. The message is clear - Democracy in Indonesia Now! Suharto Must Go! Phil-SETI Press Release. May 16, 1998 |