10 - Ethnicity and the Civil Rights Movement in Indonesia

Summary

INTRODUCTION

This chapter will examine some important features of the civil rights movement in Indonesia. I will divide the chapter into four sections. Section one argues that the emergence of the civil rights movement — or anti-discrimination movement — in Indonesia was directly triggered by the crisis and conflict suffered by the Chinese Indonesians in 1998. The second section looks at the relationship between ethnicity and the formation of a civil society that was strongly influenced by the New Order's developmental state. The third section will take into account the story of GANDI (Gerakan Perjuangan Anti-Diskriminasi, Anti- Discrimination Movement) and Solidaritas Nusa Bangsa (SNB) as the genesis of the civil rights movement in Indonesia. The final section argues that while the civil rights movement in Indonesia is basically a human rights movement, the concept of basic human rights is not always accepted by the Indonesian public.

CIVIL SOCIETY, CRISIS, AND CONFLICT

After the fall of Soeharto in 1998, the concept of a civil society became very popular and gained prominence in Indonesian political discourses — especially among researchers and social/political activists. The correct translation of “civil society” into the Indonesian language is, however, still being debated. Some, mostly Indonesian Muslims, prefer to use the term masyarakat madani because their main reference is the assumed similarity with the “democratic” situation of Medinah city under the Prophet Mohammed's leadership (Mulkhan 1999, pp. 221–25; Sukidi 1999, pp. 234–38; Mohamad 1999, pp. 242–46). The word “madani” itself comes from the Arabic word meaning well abiding and/or well-governed society. The most important characteristics of the Medinah civil society — as written down in the Medinah Charter — are “religious freedom, brotherhood between different religions, peace, unity, political ethics, citizen rights and obligations, as well as consistent law enforcement based on truth and justice” (Sukidi 1999, p. 236).

Others, especially Western-influenced scholars, often use the literal translation of civil society, namely masyarakat sipil, and its definition. They thus associate it with an “independent, mature and foresighted society”, which includes the development of “civil religion” (Qodir 1999, p. 159). There are also others who prefer the term “masyarakat warganegara”, or a society of citizens, because they want to emphasize the importance of a citizen's (individual) right to freely express his/her ideas.