Sadrah Tawang Mahari – The Social Movement Institute (SMI) held a Festival of Justice on Sunday December 10 at the Godean Bento Coffee in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta that was initially to be held at the Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University (UIN) Tennis Sports Centre.

However the venue was unable to be used after a decision to close down the event by Sunan Kalijaga UIN Chancellor Al Makin a day before the festival. Dimas and Dera took turns in alternatively reading out the declaration.

"A permanent opposition is the spirit of the Political Committee. We want to: (1) Be a counter balance to power; (2) Ensure that an alternative atmosphere or thinking continues to be given an independent voice; (3) Safeguard a democratic climate", said Dimas in reading out the text of the manifesto, a copy of which was distributed among the audience.

Referring to the text, the establishment of the Political Committee is based on the chaotic condition in Indonesia. The crisis of trust in the state along with the institutions that sustains it and the elitism of the movement. Seeing this, the Political Committee aims to uphold human rights, the creation of a people's democracy, the return of civil power and freedom and the creation of an inclusive political and economic system.

The Political Committee will also become a vehicle for young people, students, and communities who have confidence in and desire for fundamental changes, and to fight the oligarchy. The oligarchy that has made Indonesia today into a country that is not okay. For example, the failure to uphold human rights and the failure to use the democratic system in decision making.

"Education, organising, campaigning and advocacy is the work of the Political Committee. We will do it all with the spirit of reviving people's sovereignty, in fighting for the awareness of resistance and strengthening the support roots of regional committees. Of course the risks that will be faced are quite high, but fear cannot prevent this noble work", said Dera continuing the reading out of the manifesto.

After the declaration was made, which was moderated by Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) Chairperson Muhammad Isnur, constitutional law expert Bivitri Susanti explained that the current situation in Indonesia's is closely linked with autocratic legalism.

Autocratic legalism refers to the abuse of power by the authorities, such as the executive, legislative and judiciary in the interests of a handful of people, instead of for the welfare of the ordinary people. Under such conditions, according to Susanti, it is difficult to uphold the system of legal supremacy that is formally regulated under Article 1 Paragraph 3 of the 1945 Constitution.

"We are currently seeing a phenomenon that has often been discussed lately, autocratic legalism, we're talking about this in a very legalistic perspective, and we perhaps know, yes, comrades, yes, because up until now we have been taught about the supremacy of law, am I right? But if the law is unjust what do we want to make supreme? We didn't acquiesce to this. But this is what has been forced on us since we were young", he asserted.

He also gave an example of the Law on Sexual Violence Crimes (UU TPKS), which was able to be enacted not because of the society's urgent need for such a regulation. But rather because the law did not interfere with the dirty businesses interests that are being or will be pursued by the government and its colleagues, namely the oligarchy.

"But what about others, the law on indigenous communities, the law on the protection of domestic workers, and so forth. Not of these will be allowed to be born by the oligarchy", continued one of the founders of the Centre for Legal and Policy Studies (PSHK).

Around a hundred or so people attended the Festival of Justice, with Eko Prasetyo from the SMI, human rights activists Haris Azhar and Fatia Maulidiyanti and outspoken government critic Rocky Gerung contributing as performers. The event was also enlivened by a music performance by the head of Kepal SPI (the Indonesian Buskers Union), Farida, and John Tobing, the creator of the song "Blood of Struggle".

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "Komite Politik: Jalan Alternatif dalam Perlawanan terhadap Oligarki".]

Source: https://lpmarena.com/2023/12/17/komite-politik-jalan-alternatif-dalam-perlawanan-terhadap-oligarki/