Pancasila is ‘sacred’... when it’s convenient

I recently saw a video clip of Republican icon and televangelist Pat Robertson. Like most conservatives, he believes in the sanctity of marriage. For him, divorce is a no-no and it’s an in-sickness-and-in-health deal — ’til death do you part.

Unless your spouse has Alzheimer’s that is. Then it’s “inconvenient”, Robertson reckons, and OK to dump them. They’re effectively dead anyway, he says, “Already gone!” And then you don’t have to pay the medical bills! What a display of opportunistic hypocrisy!

Robertson’s tacky take on “sanctity”, “holiness” or “sacredness”, made me think about Hari Kesaktian Pancasila (Sacred Pancasila Day), which we have celebrated every year since 1965 on Oct. 1. Is it really “sacred”, or are we as bad on our national ideology as Robertson on marriage?

Pancasila was formulated by Sukarno on June 1, 1945, also a date we celebrate. So Pancasila is a born-again, like Robertson, and gets two birthdays. But, let’s be honest, the historical basis of the second birthday is pretty dodgy.

It actually celebrates the foundation of the New Order: Soeharto’s crushing of an alleged Communist coup attempt that began the day before, on Sept. 30, 1965. Six generals and a lieutenant were killed by members of what became known as the G30S movement. It was supposedly aiming to take power and replace Pancasila with communism.

As every Indonesian child knows, the bodies of the officers were thrown into a disused well in a swampy area called Lubang Buaya (“Crocodile Pit”) near Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in East Jakarta. But the coup failed, Soeharto soon had military control of the country and his rise to power began.

Much of what really happened back then has long been disputed by historians. It is clear, for example, that the bodies of the seven officers were not mutilated in orgies led by communist women at Halim, as the New Order claimed. There are even questions about whether Soeharto had advance notice of the coup attempt. In any case, the well is now marked by a huge monument opened in 1969, complete with life-size statues of the seven “martyrs” of Pancasila, and a frieze recounting the New Order regime’s version of the actions of the PKI (Indonesian Communist Party) since independence. Yep, the New Order foundation myth is alive and kicking.

That’s why on Sept. 15 this year State Secretary Sudi Silalahi sent a memo instructing all Cabinet ministers, military commanders and state institutions to once again commemorate “Sacred Pancasila Day”. The theme: “To strengthen our spirit of the united unitary state to aim for an Indonesian People with Character”.

Rigid guidelines are provided on what to do, starting on Sept. 30, when flags are supposed to be flown half-mast, and there is a speech by the Culture and Tourism Minister broadcast by national TV channel TVRI. On Oct. 1 itself, the Red and White Indonesian flag is flown at full mast. At each ceremony the commander is to be saluted, a moment of silence taken to remember our dead heroes and then the text of Pancasila read out, etc. The guidelines also specify that all state institutions and all campuses and schools (state and private) must conduct these ceremonies.

But I reckon Oct. 1 should be called “Kepikunan [Senile] Pancasila Day”. We seem to have forgotten that “Sacred Pancasila Day” was Soeharto’s militaristic, authoritarian regime’s way of justifying its rule. This is the Reform Era, right? So why are we still officially celebrating Soeharto’s rise to power every year? Didn’t the old man step down in May 1998 in disgrace?

And what makes it worse is that while we keep celebrating Pancasila in full military style, we seem to have forgotten what its five principles (silas) really mean.

Principle 1: Belief in almighty God, according to one’s own religion and faith.

I doubt the Ambonese (who recently endured yet another religious conflict) and the Ahmadis (who have been killed, had their mosques and houses burned down and have become refugees in their own country) think this principle is being upheld all that well.

Principle 2: A just and civilized humanity

Hmmm … not much justice for Munir and other murdered human rights activists, the families of the hundreds of thousands killed in 1965, the many other victims of unsolved human rights violations in Indonesia and all the other little people routinely kicked around by the powerful.

Principle 3: The unity of Indonesia

I can’t help feeling the people of Papua and, again, Ambon don’t feel very united these days.

Principle 4: Democracy guided by the inner wisdom of deliberations amongst representatives.

Do they mean our scandal- and-corruption-filled House of Representatives? What a joke!

Principle 5: Social justice for all of the people of Indonesia

… except if you are from Sidoarjo. Those who lost their homes, possessions and security as a result of the Lapindo mudflow in 2006 still haven’t been properly compensated. In fact, the majority of the poor still struggle with food and health security, let alone education and housing.

So, back to Pat Robertson. He’s a doddering old 81-year old, who’s kind of losing it. At 66, we’re young for a nation. So how come we’ve got premature senility too? Or maybe it’s not really us, but just our governments? They keep saying they are married to the Pancasila but, like Robertson, it seems OK for them to walk away whenever things get “inconvenient” (which is often).

So much for sacred, huh?

The writer (www.juliasuryakusuma.com) is the author of State Ibuism.