Jakarta – Although the struggle was not fully completed, the reform movement which was put into motion by student activists in 1998 was not in vain. Although it is still sporadic in character, a [new popular] resistance against the misuse of power has emerged. The people have begun to be more radical in struggling for their interests than the student movement itself.

“Between the years 1995 and 1998, the dynamic of the student movement seemed impressive, but following this, the movement began to be active only on campus. Intrigue, mistrust, arrogance, egoism, individualism and the division of the movement, increasingly tainted the student’s struggle against the reemergence of the New Order forces [of former President Suharto]”, asserted the chairperson of the Popular Youth Movement (Gerakan Pemuda Kerakyatan, GPK), Ricky Tamba, at an public discussion titled “A Government of Youth” in Jakarta on Wednesday February 11.

Nevertheless he continued, there is still something to be proud of, that is that ordinary people are now more radical than the student movement itself. In a number of parts of the country the people are putting up resistance [to government policies]. When their efforts were directed through legal channels it only turned into a bureaucratic game, so they began to form their own courts.

The chairperson of the National Student League for Democracy (Mahasiswa Nasional untuk Demokrasi, LMND), Iwan D Leksono, disagreed. He said that the people are yet to be radicalised. What exists has only been a spontaneous reaction among social groups which have a direct interest [in specific issues]. “This movement does not have a structure or grand design”, he said. (win)

[Translated by James Balowski.]