Rafiqa Qurrata A, Jakarta – Dissatisfied with the process of reform that they believe has failed, 1998 activists are threatening to make a comeback. One of the ways will be through taking part in the 2009 legislative and presidential elections.
“If indeed going through the parliamentary path is realistic, we will do it through the general elections. We are targeting 200 1998 activists sitting in the national parliament. But if not, we will build another movement. [We] could also take to the streets again”, said the moderator of the ‘98 National Meeting (PENA ‘98) Sangap Surbakti during a press conference at the Maharani Hotel on Jl. Mampang Prapatan Raya in South Jakarta on Sunday July 15.
Surbakti said however that the decision over which path to choose will be determined on July 27-29 when there will be a national meeting of 1998 activists at the Sahid Jaya Hotel in Jakarta.
“The meeting will be attended by hundreds of 1998 activists from 33 provinces across Indonesia. The latest conformation is 680 activists. Whether or not they have already joined non-government organisations or parties, we will come together again regardless. Because this is our mutual responsibility”, he explained.
According to the man with close-shaven hair, the 1998 activists have a responsibility for the ideals that came out of the reform movement seven years ago. They also declared that they were ready to seize any and all potential opportunities that present themselves.
“Whether it be the presidency, the speaker of the DPR [House of Representatives], the speaker of the MPR [People’s Consultative Assembly], the head of the Constitutional Court, a regent, village chief, all sectors of power must be seized”, he said.
The path chosen by the 1998 activist however has indeed not been without problems. In addition to receiving threats, they claim to have also been terrorised by police.
“There was a counter meeting called PNA ‘98. It put up similar proposals to ours. Who were they? Yeah well, who else, just the strategic enemy of the 1998 generation right, (former President) Suharto”, said the former City Forum (Forkot) activist from the Christian University of Indonesia. (gah/asy)
[Translated by James Balowski.]
