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December. 22, 2000 12:40:10 WIB
Statement of Split from the Peoples Democratic Party (PRD)By the
Democrati
Today, we the Democratic Socialist Faction, a faction inside the
Peoples Democratic Party, declare to split from the Peoples Democratic
Party ( PRD). We do hope that this split will give a new way for
strengthening revolutionary movement in Indonesia, considering the
fact that the internal conflict in the PRD has lead to fundamental
difference and accordingly irreconcilable.This internal conflict has
occurred after the fall of Suharto and is still happening now. We the
Democratic Socialist Faction consider that the upheaval of this
internal conflict is essentially because of the absence of internal
democracy. Democratic centralism as organizational basic principle for
providing tool in order to settle all the political disagreement
within the party through ideological debate has been misused and
misinterpreted. Scientific and in-depth debate and democracy has been
subordinated to bureaucracy, authority, procedure and discipline.
Centralism and bureaucratism has been made a main principle. Blind
obedience has been used as model for party members and replaced
criticism. Different view and opinion has been considered in
disciplinary and accordingly has to be eliminated and expelled in an
undemocratic way.
This absolutely does not mean that we have not waged internal struggle
for change. We have done this through factional struggle. However,
again our struggle was blockaded by bureaucratism and ant criticism.
At last we come to the conclusion that the differences are very
principle and fundamental, namely Democracy against Bureaucratism.
We have also significant differences regarding the strategy and
tactics taken by the party in responding objective situation,
particularly with the installation of the bourgeois Wahid government,
increase of resistance in Aceh and West Papua, party building
perspective, party paper, woman liberation and the perspective of
building international struggles.
As we consider that the differences cannot be put in one organ, we
finally find out that split is inevitable, and is most democratic and
healthy way. We never see split as something to regret or cry for. We
even see it as the way for securing and developing the revolutionary
movement. So that we will not be burdened by undemocratic internal
struggles instead can concentrate in waging each struggles based on
each strategy and tactics.
For the split, we declare the following differences with majority of
the PRD leadership:
a. The decision making process in PRD has turn into a bureaucratic
manner which put the mechanism and authority of leadership as the
priority. The mechanism has become something principal rather than
guide to effective action and implementation of a decision.
b. Democratic centralism has converted into unhealthy and bureaucratic
centralism. All the political disagreement mainly be revolved by
absolute authority of the central leadership which in turn imposed
through the rules of subordination of the minority to majority, as
well as how to directing work form the PRD leadership with blind
loyalty.
c. The party building perspective has been neglected. In the
Extraordinary Congress in October 1999, the PRD has put party building
strategy as the priority. In reality, the PRD has taken position in
spending the whole party energy and resources in confronting and
attacking the remnants of New Order forces and the false reformists.
This practices has disrupt the party for expansion and recruiting new
members. We the Democratic Socialist Faction do not oppose the tactic
of attacking them. The most principle however is how this tactic does
not neglect or ignore the party building project.
d. The PRD position toward Gus Dur administration is far from the
partys vision. In the national political situation analysis, the PRD
says that Gus Dur administration has fought for democracy and Gus Dur
administration is one element that consistently fights against the
remnants of New Order Regime. The PRD does not also include Gus Dur as
the false reformist. Base on this reason, the PRD decides to only
attacking the remnants of the New Order rather than the Gus Dur
administration. We consider that Gus Dur has even given space and
opportunity for the revival of the remnants of the New Order by not
putting Suharto and his cronies to trial, make collaboration with
faction in the military, make coalition with the Golkar, submission to
the IMF and the WB, and the Gus Dur administration even has bred the
KKN.
e. The partys newspaper, the Pembebasan (Liberation) is not made
priority, as the center of partys activity. The party newspaper is
even subordinated to one subordination of the party works. Majority of
the leadership has not any seriousness in selling paper as the
priority and organizing activity..
f. The PRD has put the labor movement in the non-priority area.
Instead, PRD has put the urban poor as the major forces for the
mobilization in confronting the enemies. We consider that in such
situation, worker organizing must be a priority for attacking the neo
liberal regime, in which the workers are oppressed, as well as for
changing the composition of the party membership which so far
dominated by students and urban poor, in order to build revolutionary
tradition of workers in the party.
g. The PRD has deeply fall into sectarianism through their political
practice. The PRD doesnt consider another left groups as the
significant forces in the struggle for socialism.
h. Theres no clear theoretical clarity in the PRD, so it creates
confusion in responding the new political landscape in Indonesia.
i. The PRD is chauvinist in responding the resistances in Aceh and
West Papua. For the PRD, the resistance from Papuans and Acehnese is
just the local upheaval, it doesnt relate to national question.
j. Opportunism in the international solidarity movement, in which the
international solidarity for the PRD means that what you can do for us
in building our movement.
k. The struggle of women liberation has been put into non priority
area, PRD make an apology that women liberation struggle has been
integrated into the struggle for democracyAs the way it is, split from
the PRD for us means that we are going to build the new political
organization as vehicle for our struggle. For this, we have
established an organization called Democratic Socialist Association
Perhimpunan Demokratik Sosialis ( PDS ). We reaffirm the following
principles as the principles of PDS :1. The principle of scientific
socialism as the theoretical foundations
2. The principle of democratic centralism, which is opposed to
bureaucratism and anarchy in the organization
3. The principle of open socialist organization
4. The principle of revolutionary and progressive character of the
struggle for socialism
5. The principle of internationalism and solidarity of working class
6. The principle of feminismThe Democratic Socialist Association is an
association open to whosoever committed to struggle for scientific and
democratic socialism.We call on all revolutionary forces in Indonesia
to join the march of the struggle for the liberation of the oppressed
peopleWe call on all revolutionary forces worldwide to welcome us and
to make collaboration in the spirit of internationalism
Finally, we call on the people of Indonesia to line up and unite in
the struggle against neo authoritarianism.Jakarta, November 14th
2000Signed by:
1. Coen Husain Pontoh ; Former Member of SMID Manado (1994-1995), Head
of the Dept. of Education and Propaganda of the National Peasant Union
- STN (1995-1996), Former Head Komite Sukses Pemilu Central KSPP
(1999), Member of the Dept. of Education of the KPP PRD (1999-2000).
Has been imprisoned in Surabaya (1996-1999)
2. Dhyta Caturani ; Former Member of SMID Yogyakarta (1995-1997), Staf
of the Dept. of International Relation (1999), Victim of Shooting in
July 1, 1999 incident in KPU, Former Member of the Dept. of Peoples
Struggle and the International Collective of the KPP PRD (1999-2000)
3. Hendri Kuok ; Former Member of SMID Yogyakarta (1994-1996), Former
Head of the Dept. of International Relation of SMID (1996-1997),
Former representative of the PRD in Australia (1996-1998), Former Head
of the Preparatory Committee for Legalization of the PRD - KEPAL PRD
(1998), Former Head of the Dept. of International Relation of the PRD
(1998-1999), Former representative of the PRD in the National Election
Commission - KPU (1999), Former Member of the Dept. of Education and
International Collective of the KPP PRD (1999-2000).
4. Ida Nashim Muhammad ; Former student organizer in Manado
(1982-1994), Former SMID Board in Manado (1994-1997), Former Urban
Poor organizer in Jabotabek (1997-1998), Former Secretary of the KPP
PRD (1998-1999), and the Former Member of the Dept. of Peoples
Struggle of the KPP PRD (1999-2000).
5. Lucia Fransisca ; Former Member of SMID Jabotabek (1995-1996),
Former Board member of the National Peasant Union (1996), Former
organizer of Urban Poor in Jabotabek (1997-1998), Former Member of the
Dept. of Peoples Struggle of the KPP PRD (1999-2000). Also Former
Member of KPK PRD Bogor (2000)
6. Muhammad Maruf ; Former Member of SMID Yogyakarta (1994-1995),
Former Editor of Suara Massa of SMID (1995-1996), Former Chief Editor
of Pembebasan (1996-2000) and the Member of the Dept. of Literature of
the KPP PRD (1999-2000).
7. Mugiyanto ; Former Member of SMID Yogyakarta (1994-1996), Worker
Organizer in Tandes Surabaya (1996), Former representative of the PRD
in Europe (1998-1999), Member of the Dept. of Education and
International Collective of the KPP PRD (1999-2000), Victim of
Involuntary Disappearance perpetrated by the Kopassus (March 1998) and
jailed for 3 months in Jakarta (March-June 1998).
8. Agung Nugroho ; Former Head of SMID ISIIP-chapter Jabotabek
(1995-1996), Former organizer of Urban Poor in Jabotabek (1997-1998),
Former Secretary of KPW PRD Jabotabek (1998-1999), Former Member of
the Dept. of Peoples Struggle KPP PRD (1999-2000)
9. Angel Intan S : Former Member of the KPW Jabotabel student sector
(1999-2000)
10. Ashep Nurdin ; Former Member of KPW Jabotabek student sector
(1999-2000)
11. Bagus Armanusa ; Former Member of KPW Jabotabek student sector
(1999-2000)
12. Yogi : Former Member of SMID Palu (1996), Former Organizer of
Urban Poor Jabotabek (1997), Former Secretary of KPW Jabotabek
(1999-2000)
13. Ety Sunarty : Former Organizer of Workers and Students
(1996-1998), Former Head of KPW PRD Jabotabek (1998-1999).
14. Harianto (Gepeng) : Former Member of PRD student sector
(1999-2000)
15. Ito ; Former Member of KPW Jabotabek student sector (1999-2000)
16. Jimmy : Former Member of PPD II Kodya Tanggerang (1999), Former
Member of KPW Jabotabek (1999-2000)
17. J.P. Indra ; Former Secretary of SMID ISIIP-chapter Jabotabek
(1996-1997), Former Head of Dept. of Education and Information of the
National Committee of Struggle for Democracy (KNPD) (1997-1998),
Former Member of KPW Jabotabek student sector,
18. Kurniatun : Former Member of PRD and the worker organizer in North
Jakarta (1998-2000)
19. Muhamad Husni ; Former Head of the KPK Central Jakarta
20. Muhlis : Former Member of PRD, student sector (1999-2000)
21. Parjono : Former Coordinator of the Dept. of Peoples Struggle of
KPK PRD West Jakarta (1999-2000)
22. Radi Apriyanto (Popon) ; Former Secretary of KPK East Jakarta
(1999-2000)
23. Roni Rosa ; Former Staff of the KSPP (1999), Former BADKO II of
KPW Jabotabek (1999-2000)
24. Syah Dinihari ; Former Head of SMID in UID (1996), Coordinator of
Students PRD Jabotabek (1997-1998), Member of the Organization Dept.
KPK PRD East Jakarta (1999), DEM KSPK PRD East Jakarta (1999), Former
Secretary of KPK East Jakarta (1999), Former BADKO I of KPW Jabotabek
(1999-2000)
Notes:
1. SMID : Student in Solidarity for Democracy in Indonesia, affiliated
to the PRD
2. KPP PRD : Central Leadership Committee of the PRD
3. KPW : Regional Leadership Committee of the PRD
4. KPK : Municipal Leadership Committee of the PRD
5. STN : National Peasant Union
6. BADKO : Coordinating Body, PRD structure in regional level covering
some municipalities.
7. KSPP : National Committee for the Success of the PRD in the
Election
8. KSPK : Municipal Committee for the Success of the PRD in the
Election Municipal level
9. DEM : Electoral Machine department, department in the KSPP
10. Jabotabek : The regional showing the extended city in Jakarta
including Bogor, Tangerang and Bekasi
14 November 2000