[Marxism] An important development on the Indonesian left

[Max Lane]

An important development on the Indonesian left

* *

*By Max Lane*



In this article, I want to report and analyze on one of the most important
developments on the Indonesian Left. These developments began in Indonesia
in July 2007, seven months ago now. I apologize to all those readers who
have been reading my English language articles as a means of following the
Indonesian left. I have been unfortunately constrained over the last seven
months, and even now**



In July, 2007 a majority of the current leadership of the PRD voted on a
leadership body that a small number of leaders, who disagreed with current
political perspectives should exercise their "democratic rights" to "go
their own way" to test out their own line. Members of the PRD were to be
informed of this decision and all those who did not support the perspective
of the current majority would be invited to join those "going their own
way". In other words, all those with differences were being de facto
expelled. Formal expulsions of Jakarta based members and the freezing of
branches whose membership's rejected the current leadership's perspectives
took place later in the year.


The differences



In 2005, the PRD decided that it was a priority to intervene or respond to
the 2009 general and presidential elections. After a failed but brief series
of discussions with other groupings in the broad left activist milieu in
order to organize a conference that might lead to a party of the united
activist Left, the PRD initiated the formation on PAPERNAS (Party for
National Liberation Unity). PAPERNAS evolved as a party comprising the PRD
and an extensive section of the PRD's periphery and past contacts. While
some other non-PRD organizations joined the PRD at its foundation, by 2006
it was clearly the PRD plus its friends and supporters.



This was a result of a fantastic effort on the part of the PRD cadre and
represented a real expansion of the number of activists that were being
coordinated by the PRD.



However by the end of 2006 it was also clear that PAPERNAS would not succeed
in meeting the criteria to achieve official registration as a political
party and an electoral participant. Laws passed by the Indonesian
parliament, dominated by the major bourgeois parties, required proof of
branches and memberships in two thirds of all provinces and two thirds of
all districts within provinces. There would also need to be proof of
membership of fixed percentages of the population, which would include
provision of phot ID. Physical offices, and local government statements that
such offices existed, in all these areas was also required.



Despite the impressive growth of the PRD-PAPERNAS organized network of
activists, it was still a small force unable to smash through these
undemocratic obstacles.


Coalition and merger for the sake of seats



In late July, 2007, a position paper was circulated internally in the party
which set out a proposition for a merger with another party which already
members on the parliament and therefore might not need to go through the
electoral registration process. This was the Star Reformation Party (PBR).
PBR was a split from the Soeharto era, pro-Soeharto Islamic United
Development Party (PPP). It was anti-communist, anti-secular and
anti-pluralist. It was led by anti-Left activists from the late 1990s in
combination with local elites, including Islamic fundamentalist elements.



While posited as a "coalition" in this paper, the proposal amounted to a
merger proposal. PAPERNAS would take 5 seats on the PBR national leadership
council; would campaign under the PBR name; would stand candidates and
campaign only in electorates where the PBR was not strong; would change its
name to drop any reference to it being a party; and would accept the
watering down of some of its slogans. On the latter, for example,
"nationalization of oil and gas" would be restated as "protecting national
sovereignty in resources".



At the same time, the paper insisted that PAPERNAS would retain its
independence as a separate organization, although affiliated to PBR. The
proposal was being supported by PRD chairperson, Dita Sari and PRD Secertary
general Agus Jabo.



It was not clear at the time whether the PBR had actually agreed to this
proposal or whether it was just the wishes of the PRD leadership.



A few days after this paper was circulated, these proposals were presented
for a vote on the main leadership body. A small number of four leaders voted
against it. Following this vote, another discussion and vote was taken
resulting in the majority vote that those with differences "go their own
way".

FOR THE REST OF THE ARTICLE AND APPENDED MATERIAL go to:
http://blogs.usyd.edu.au/maxlaneintlasia/2008/02/an_important_development_on_th.html