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From Robin Hood to knighthood: The story of colonization continues
Reading news about President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s (SBY) knighthood during his recent state visit to the United Kingdom, one of my colleagues joked, that now Indonesia has a Robin Hood president
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eading news about President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s (SBY) knighthood during his recent state visit to the United Kingdom, one of my colleagues joked, that now Indonesia has a Robin Hood president. I replied, that I would rather he become a Robin Hood kind of thing, rather than enter this Knighthood thingy.
Two years ago, SBY cancelled a similar state visit to the Netherlands for fear of facing demonstrators, who accused him of responsibility for human rights violations at home, and the danger of being prosecuted for those gross crimes.
This year, however, SBY proudly paid an official visit to the UK despite demonstrations in London protesting his alleged role in atrocities in Papua and East Timor.
The visit was marked by the arrest of a human rights activist who was pinned down to the ground by the Presidential Security Force (Paspampres) on English soil. During SBY’s visit, at least two business contracts were signed, the first to allow British Petroleum to continue its gas exploration in the West Papua regency of Bintuni Bay through a new investment worth US$12 billion, and the second for Indonesia to purchase military equipment from the UK.
On top of it all, SBY was knighted by the Queen, and bestowed with the title — Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.
The Netherlands and the UK are both familiar players in the history of Indonesia. They were present in the archipelago, later called Indonesia, during the colonial period that ended 67 years ago.
During the old days, the two competed to build empires in Indonesia to monopolize traded commodities, starting with spices and then moving to textiles and other commodities, including oil and gas.
Back then, the indigenous communities — now known as Indonesians — lost their lives, fighting to free themselves from the oppression of foreign colonial rulers.
When Indonesia gained independence, a huge amount of resources had already been stolen. The resources had enriched the Netherlands and the UK, among others, while Indonesia struggled as a new, poor and battered country.
The two European kingdoms joined the ranks of rich and developed countries, as Indonesia and other Third World countries scrambled to catch up in a process of development that did not side with them.
Many have argued that colonialism is a process that has not yet ended. It continues as neocolonialism, whereby a country exercises control by means of capitalism and the hegemony of that country. Today, the competition to control resources remains fierce, and the resources, especially natural resources, are in abundance not in the “North”, as in Europe, but rather the “South”, including Indonesia.
When it comes to Indonesia, this time European powers do not need to send warships with soldiers to fight the indigenous population who may oppose their bid to have a stronghold over Indonesia.
Despite the resistance from indigenous communities’ and challenges from civil society groups advocating national ownership of natural resources, SBY signs business contracts to allow multinational corporations to reap profits in Indonesia. As for the rest of the nation, some of them might have to brace themselves for possible eviction — either by use of force or not.
In general, the national history of Indonesia — despite its debatable framing that silenced some facts while bring others into salience — looks down at those who cooperated with the colonial powers and reward those who fought the colonial power with the “National Hero” title.
The knighted President of the Republic of Indonesia, “Sir” Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, has had his rank upgraded from indigenous Indonesian to a royal European. Would his people, especially those living in the areas that will receive the investments accept his decision? Most probably not.
There is strong resistance toward the central government from people in Aceh and Papua among other places, partly because they disagree with the exploitation of natural resources, which benefit the multinationals and a few national elites, at the expense of local people and Mother Nature.
That might explain why as part of the signed agreement, Indonesia is to purchase military equipment including rifles for snipers from the UK.
Now, there is a clear line between the want to develop a country and the people, and the move to “sell” a country for development and international relations. The former focuses on the benefit of the people living in the country, while the latter emphasizes development and diplomacy per se.
The first one could be similar to what Robin Hood did, as in folklore. The second one is quite similar to what “Sir” SBY is now doing with his recent visit to London.
Six decades ago, during its younger years as a newly independent country, Indonesia was respected internationally for initiatives to develop links between Asian and African countries that were in more or less similar situation.
The founding president, Sukarno, was known for his attitude to stand on an equal stance with the ex-colonial forces in international politics. The founding fathers of Indonesia drafted the 1945 Constitution, regulating the exploitation of natural resources under the control of the state for the benefit of the whole nation.
This was not to be mistaken with giving the right to the state to sell control of the natural resources to benefit other countries at the expense of people’s welfare.
With this history, it is ironic that after celebrating 67 years of independence, Indonesia — represented by its president — did something that could be interpreted as selling its independence for a price.
In this globalized world, the gap between developed and developing, rich and poor, north and south is wider than ever.
The hegemony of the “North” is imposed on the “South” in full force, foreign investments can enter poor countries with little to no obstacle at all, while at the same time the movement from “South” to “North” is limited and often even criminalized.
It is heart-breaking to see SBY sign these business agreements and accept an honorary title from the UK. Not in the capacity of an individual but as the President of the Republic of Indonesia.
By so doing, SBY placed the whole nation under the control of a kingdom Indonesia once got rid of, instead of leading Indonesia to self-reliance and therefore maintaining both its sovereignty as a state and dignity as a nation.
The writer is a PhD candidate at the International Institute of Social Studies at the Erasmus University, The Hague
