With four Muslim countries now splintered in armed conflict (Libya, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen), the world can be grateful that the largest Muslim country will achieve a peaceful milestone Oct. 20. For the first time in its history, Indonesia will see a transfer of power from one popularly elected president to another: A humble former furniture maker, Joko Widodo, will take over from a former Army general, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Mr. Widodo, otherwise known as Jokowi, was elected in large part because of a major reform 15 years ago after the popular ouster of a longtime dictator and the dawn of full democracy in this Southeast Asian nation. As the fourth most populous country – one that sprawls across 13,500 islands and includes 360 ethnic groups – Indonesia decided that the best democracy was one that defined the bonds of affections at the local level. Political power was greatly decentralized. Two-thirds of the civil service ended up in the provinces.
The reform enabled common folk like Jokowi to rise up, creating local models of clean and efficient government. His record, first in Solo and later in Jakarta, catapulted him to fame. In the national election, he beat Prabowo Subianto, the son-in-law of former dictator Suharto, who said Indonesians are not ready for direct democracy.
Decentralization’s real purpose was to keep Indonesia from flying apart. Separatist movements such as those in Aceh and Irian Jaya threatened to splinter the former Dutch colony. Instead of relying on strong-arm rule or imposing a nationalist ideology, such as exists in current China and Russia, Indonesia took the wiser course. It pushed many powers to the regions.
More than two dozen countries, representing nearly half of the world’s population, have such a federated system. In the United States, a 2013 Pew poll found people trust their state and local government far more than the one in Washington. The United Kingdom, after a close vote in Scotland against secession, is moving toward further devolution of powers. In diverse countries, democracy is the surest way to define the best level for political community.
Indonesia’s decentralization, however, has created a backlash among the political elite tied to the old Suharto regime. After Jokowi’s election, parliament passed a bill to end direct election of local leaders and grant that power to local assemblies, most of which are controlled by parties opposed to Jokowi.
The outgoing president has tried to stall the bill’s implementation. And the issue could end up in court. But at least the dispute is being handled in a democratic or judicial way. That’s way ahead of how most Muslim states in the Middle East handle their disputes.
Comments
It helps that there is no Sunni/Shia division but we also notice the same intolerance towards Christians. http://www.westernfreepress.com/2014/02/24/how-bad-is-muslim-persecution-of-christians-in-indonesia/
Thinker
Nice one.!….two sides to every coin !
Religion devides …lets hope politics unites !
Religion opium of church…politics the fix.
Cynically
Kamtan
Compton: No matter how you try to separate religion from politics, in order to understand how politics are practised in most countries, a knowledge of the country’s history, including its religion(s) is important.
That said, it may irk you and others when I say that Indonesia = ‘Isles of India’.
In fact, the whole of South East Asia has been influenced by India. For example: Vietnam’s original name was Champa, a common Indian name; and several countries in SE Asia other than India: viz., Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand have/had female heads of states; and Myanmar/Burma has Aug sui Kyi
Back to Indonesia. The Indian influence is why it is relatively peaceful/tolerant compared to other Islamic states. As well the current PM is an ordinary guy, just as India’s Modi is the son of a ‘low caste’ tea seller….. per the Indian ‘Dharmic’ non-dogmatic tolerance.
To prove the Indian influence, Its national airline is named Garuda. which refers to: “It is named after the mythical giant bird Garuda of Hinduism and Buddhist mythology” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garuda_Indonesia
Remember I spoke about Vishnu in another posting? Here is who/what Garuda is
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garuda
Just bear with me so I can show how wide the Indian influence is (as it will be a Book project of mine to come): Garuda is this prototype that James Cameron used in the movie Avatar where many inhabitants of the fabled land flew around on birds (not to mention the inhabitants had tails like Rama’s ‘monkey’ army in the Indian epic Ramayana) In fact, Indonesia, et al (including China) celebrate Rama’s victory over Ravana in dramatic plays).
Hope you are still reading after the spiel about India/.
Veda Nath Mohabir
Compton: No matter how you try to separate religion from politics, in order to understand how politics are practised in most countries, a knowledge of the country’s history, including its religion(s) is important.
That said, it may irk you and others when I say that Indonesia = ‘Isles of India’.
In fact, the whole of South East Asia has been influenced by India. For example: Vietnam’s original name was Champa, a common Indian name; and several countries in SE Asia other than India: viz., Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Thailand have/had female heads of states; and Myanmar/Burma has Aug sui Kyi
Back to Indonesia. The Indian influence is why it is relatively peaceful/tolerant compared to other Islamic states. As well the current PM is an ordinary guy, just as India’s Modi is the son of a ‘low caste’ tea seller….. per the Indian ‘Dharmic’ non-dogmatic tolerance.
To prove the Indian influence, Its national airline is named Garuda. which refers to: “It is named after the mythical giant bird Garuda of Hinduism and Buddhist mythology” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garuda_Indonesia
Remember I spoke about Vishnu in another posting? Here is who/what Garuda is
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garuda
Just bear with me so I can show how wide the Indian influence is (as it will be a Book project of mine to come): Garuda is this prototype that James Cameron used in the movie Avatar where many inhabitants of the fabled land flew around on birds (not to mention the inhabitants had tails like Rama’s ‘monkey’ army in the Indian epic Ramayana) In fact, Indonesia, et al (including China) celebrate Rama’s victory over Ravana in dramatic plays).
Hope you are still reading after the spiel about India’s influence..
Veda Nath Mohabir
http://www.minorityrights.org/4445/indonesia/balinese-and-hindus.html
Just additional info on Hindus in Indonesia
Here I go into a bit of religion (As I say it can’t be avoided when looking at a country’s political culture).
Bali ( the last stronghold of Hindus in Indonesia) was bombed by Islamic terrorists partly because it is 90% Hindus, along with attracting lots of foreignors – because of it more tolerant culture).
Note that the movie ‘Eat, Pray. Love’ was partly filmed here ( along with filming in India, probably leading Julia Roberts to convert to the Hindu faith)
That said, here is a beautiful, longing song from the R&H musical, ‘South Pacific’.
Bloody Mary:
Most people live on a lonely island,
Lost in the middle of a foggy sea.
Most people long for another island,
One where they know they will like to be.
Bali Ha’i may call you,
Any night, any day,
In your heart, you’ll hear it call you:
“Come away…Come away.”
Bali Ha’i will whisper
In the wind of the sea:
“Here am I, your special island!
Come to me, come to me!”
Your own special hopes,
Your own special dreams,
Bloom on the hillside
And shine in the streams.
If you try, you’ll find me
Where the sky meets the sea.
“Here am I your special island
Come to me, Come to me.”
Bali Ha’i,
Bali Ha’i,
Bali Ha’i!
Someday you’ll see me floatin’ in the sunshine,
My head stickin’ out from a low fluin’ cloud,
You’ll hear me call you,
Singin’ through the sunshine,
Sweet and clear as can be:
“Come to me, here am I, come to me.”
If you try, you’ll find me
Where the sky meets the sea.
“Here am I your special island
Come to me, Come to me.”
Bali Ha’i,
Bali Ha’i,
Bali Ha’i!
Read more: South Pacific – Bali Hai Lyrics | MetroLyrics
Veda