Complacent Govt Can Do Much More to Shake ‘Failed State’ Tag

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Complacent Govt Can Do Much More to Shake ‘Failed State’ Tag
Yohanes Sulaiman | June 29, 2012

The late independence activist Mako Tabuni in Jaypura in an undated file photo. 'While the Indonesian government is trying to improve the economy to prevent social breakdown (and sliding into the category of failed state), it does a bad job in actually addressing the root cause of the failure, notably extremism and violence due to its own passivity or incompetence. The examples of the latter were especially glaring in recent weeks, during which there were several reports of police misconduct. In Papua, the controversial shooting of Tabuni on June 14 led to unrest and mysterious shootings. Regardless of Mako’s guilt or innocence, the situation would not have deteriorated had the police acted with restraint that considered the already-volatile environment there.'

A debate has been sparked by the publication of the latest Failed State Index, which placed Indonesia in the “warning” category, meaning the country is in danger of becoming a “failed state.” Its rank worsened marginally, from 64th in 2011 to 63rd this year.

Despite that, the indicators in general are positive, with Indonesia’s score actually decreasing from 81.6 in 2011 to 80.6 in 2012 in the study compiled by the US-based think tank Fund for Peace in collaboration with Foreign Policy magazine.

This means that the overall situation of the country improved slightly with progress in almost every sector, especially the economy.

On that topic, the report noted that economic development had improved, the poverty level was declining and gross domestic product was increasing. There’s still a long way to go, but any gains on the economic side, especially sustained across five years, is good news.

History shows us that the collapse of states and the rise of religious and nationalist extremists to power are almost always preceded by economic collapse. With the moderates discredited in many parts of the world due to failed economic policies, radicals and extremists with utopian, “pie in the sky” solutions become attractive to desperate populations hoping to escape economic hardship.

This is especially true in Indonesia, where regime changes have historically been preceded by economic crisis. The falls of presidents Sukarno and Suharto happened after economic conditions worsened. But as many analysts noted, the Failed State Index report found that social indicators were showing stalled progress. The report notes ongoing problems in infrastructure development, demographic pressures and “an increase in protests, harassment and violence against religious minorities. The government’s ability to curb violence between groups has been limited.”

While the government is trying to improve the economy in order to prevent social breakdown, it does a bad job in actually addressing the root cause of the failure, notably extremism and violence due to its own passivity or incompetence.

The examples of the latter were especially glaring in recent weeks, during which there were several reports of police misconduct. In Papua, the controversial shooting of independence activist Mako Tabuni on June 14 led to unrest and mysterious shootings. Regardless of Mako’s guilt or innocence, the situation would not have deteriorated had the police acted with restraint that considered the already-volatile environment there.

Elsewhere, police in Serang, Banten, landed in hot water over the false arrest, kidnapping and torture of Jumhani, a fried-food seller. Not long after that, Twitter was abuzz with the story of Jakarta policemen who allegedly attempted to blackmail a woman by declaring that her allergy medicine was some sort of illegal substance.

These three are currently the most glaring examples of police’s misconducts that did nothing to inspire people’s confidence on the police force, and by extension, the government itself. Not surprisingly, pundits have a field day, pinning all blames on the Indonesia’s worrisome rank squarely on President Yudhoyono.

While it is probably unfair to put all blames on President Yudhoyono’s shoulders, the fact is that the Yudhoyono presidency did nothing but to raise the popular expectations during the last elections. Thus, when the government is seen as actually passive, unwilling to tackle the law enforcement reforms and to address the growing evidence of corruption within its ranks and the ruling party, the blowback was swift, with the trust to the government rapidly declining.

This feeds the narrative of Indonesia as a failed state. The claim, while unfair, is the result of the government’s inability to control violence caused by either hard-line organizations or from within the ranks of its own law enforcers.
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padt

2:34pm Jun 29, 2012

The root causes of a failed state don't only lie in failure to deal with extremism and violence and the passivity of the government refusing to deal with it.

A failed state will always be based also on money politics.

Indonesia will become a failed state if it turns out that the indecisive SBY has all the time been a 'distracted' SBY - more intent on creating a political dynasty and feathering his families nest.

The ruckas in the Democratic Party would indicate that there is every possibility that this will prove to be the case.

The connection?

It's SBY's Party and they do his bidding. A fish rots from it's head down.

SBY is looking more Mugabe-ish every day.

Pelan2

4:02pm Jun 29, 2012

Yohanes & padt - SBY has been politically blackmailed since day one of his presidency, unfortunately, by a certain "towkay" from Golkar. It got worse when he "lost" control of Partai Democrat when Anas was elected chairman instead of Andi M. Since then it has only gone downhill as those who are stabbing him in the back are only interested in furthering their own cases and have no regard or interest of the poor kids singing songs near the traffic lights instead of being educated at proper schools and contribute to the growth of the country at a later stage.

ambiga

4:17pm Jun 29, 2012

Disagree with fail state tag. export,investment, economy growth the only 3 countries grow more than 6%. Look at china, 2 points better than Indonesia, as failed state while bailing out Europe already failed states. Plenty of expats looking for jobs in these two failed states.. you can't justify as fail state cause of extremism or hard line religion fanatics. The best weapon against hardline fanatics is Freedom and economy growth, indonesia has that. to compare with Malaysia, where none a single politician ever steps into court tells so much about rule of law in that country.

jchay

5:04pm Jun 29, 2012

@Pelan2: excuses after excuses, SBY is President RI, the number 1 person in Indonesia, chosen and elected by majority votes of Indonesians, what else he needs?! He didn't loose control, SBY literally "sold" his control to PKS PAN Golkar etc when he chose to do "politik dagang sapi". Failed government, not state.

Yohanes-Sulaiman

8:19am Jun 30, 2012

@ambiga: I've discussed what you said in the article. My argument is that economy helps, but only to the extent of not keeping tension boiling and does not address the root cause of violence which is lack of trust in legal system, due to incompetence, lack of training, law enforcement, etc. When econ goes south (which will always happen) without trust in legal system, things will blow up.

Other commenters, padt and jchay had also put their fine 2cents.

Pelan2, there are ways to break the jam but SBY sadly doesn't have political will to do so.

DrDez

12:36pm Jun 30, 2012

22 - Once again you place money as the pinnacle above all else - your holy grail if you will to be gained at any cost, and fail to understand what this report is about when says failed state -

Instead you use cheap quips backed by your incessant underlying racism to say what? Nothing.

You are devoid of any original thought and fail on a daily basis to construct a tenable argument relying on deflection, racism and plagiarism or more often than not pure incoherent drivel - you are an embarrassment to whatever nation you call home.. Truly you are.

padt

3:26pm Jun 30, 2012

Yohanes-Sulaiman - economic growth without accompanying developments in human rights, transparent and accountable government, rule of law and order and an honest judiciary who give verdicts without fear or favour - are all necessary - unless you want to head for a failed state which Indonesia is heading for.

And that's my 'two cents' worth in a country where human life and dignity are treated cheaply by the elite minority running - or ruining - the show.

TalkingEid

5:41pm Jun 30, 2012

DrDez - he fails in exactly the same way that Indonesia does - inability to get along with others, intolerance, placing money as the only measure of success, lack of education etc etc etc - he should get an award "Symbol of Indonesia".

ambiga

8:23pm Jun 30, 2012

Dez,With your 19th century union mentality you will always view businesspeople as the enemy rather than as risk takers and job creators. I don't think there really is much hope, especially with a mentality as yours if you were in government, those risk takes and job creators put billions of dollars in here based on only one point, rule of law. If those people believe in the rule of law indonesia provides to guarantee their money while getting good returns ,to give you one simple example,lion air local company has huge leverage with foreign banks that believe in Indonesia market and rule of law, why these small percentage of hard line extremists becoming an issue to put indonesia as fail state? as i said before, the best way forward to get rid of these extremists is FREEDOM and Economy growth, i believe indonesia has and will be going and marching forward in that path. It may take bit of time to trickle down but results are there. Pancasila guarantees all but atheist.

DrDez

8:53pm Jun 30, 2012

Keep up the denial 22, keep up the racism itr just makes you look a total tosser

1. There is no rule of law or certainty for investors

2. You again fail to see why we are on the verge of a failed nation - I'm sorry you cannot as you and your peers are probably RI's tomorrow

3. Freedom... Now you are just having a laugh

4. Cheap shot at non religious people just shows your immaturity and ignorance

I welcome clear debate on any of the above points

marko1

7:14am Jul 1, 2012

22 its the lack a credentials that inhibits the reform. Rice farmer one day Then becomes law maker.

DrDez

9:03am Jul 1, 2012

Talking... I fear you are correct, Greed is the true religion and it is worshiped at any cost

Enough of this anyway - its hard to fill a bucket with holes in, and even harder when someones stolen the bucket

Valkyrie

9:21am Jul 1, 2012

ambiga aka 22 aka lapinda

In this country ..."a bit of time" is equivalent to decades.

What rule of law are you spouting about? There's no rule of law here. Only money to grease your enterprise through. KKN is at it's height right now and continues to spiral upwards at a fast pace..

Do you own a business here? I don't think so.

Dez, some others and myself included, have identified ourselves. What about you?