A new Jesuit research centre dedicated to democratic advocacy opens in Jakarta
PRAKSIS was launched on Human Rights Day. Its goal is to promote the “common good” in a society where socio-economic inequalities have grown in the past 10 years, with political life increasingly in the hands of a small elite. The daughter of former President Abdurrahman Wahid also attended the event, speaking out against the harm done in society by the weakening of Indonesian democracy.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) – The Indonesian Province of the Society of Jesus on Tuesday, Human Rights Day, opened the Jesuit Research and Advocacy Centre, Pusat Riset dan Advokasi Serikat Jesus (PRAKSIS) in Indonesia, focused on the study of democracy.
“Democracy in Indonesia is a project that is not yet completely done,” says the statement announcing the new initiative, whose tagline also reads “Seeking Democracy to foster the common good,” intentionally chosen because Indonesia, as a country and a state, is still on the path towards its own form of democracy.
Awareness of this has been a trending topic in many discussions that preceded the launch of this new body. In fact, the statement notes that Indonesian democracy is still far from full realisation due to important challenges to civil liberties and political rights as well as the widening socio-economic divide.
None of this favours democratisation, jeopardising instead efforts to achieve the goal. For this reason, the PRAKSIS centre, explained its director, Fr Maswan Susinto, will try to map out Indonesia’s politics and economy for the period 2014-2024 based on interdisciplinary perspectives and an ethical-theological reflection inspired by the social doctrine of the Church.
Different data will move the research, starting with the conviction that democratic process in Indonesia politics has clearly taken backward steps in 2014-2024, compounded by a shrinking middle class, characterised by poor job performance and a sharp decline in income.
These two trends have converged in a rise in populism and a retreat of democracy. Thus following the social teachings of the Church, the challenge is to seek another model of democracy, capable of contributing to the common good.
In her speech at PRAKSIS’s inauguration, Alissa Wahid, daughter of the late President Abdurrahman Wahid "Gus Dur" (in office from 1999 to 2001), stressed that Indonesian society has suffered from the poor state of its democratic system.
Dr Yanuar Nugroho, a researcher at PRAKSIS, added that Indonesian democracy is unhealthy because it is in the hands of elites, as evinced by the composition of its rulers, an economy controlled by a small group, and a weak opposition focused only on short-term development.
Fr Benedictus Hari Juliawan, the Provincial of the Indonesian Province of the Society of Jesus, said that the PRAKSIS research centre was conceived because there is no common good without common participation, therefore without a healthy democracy.
The centre’s Engagement Director, Fr Angga Indraswara, was present at the opening, as was its Research and Advocacy Director, Fr Baskara T. Wardaya.
Speaking to AsiaNews, Fr Wardaya explained that PRAKSIS, in addition to producing research on human rights, democracy and social justice, will also accompany and provide services to marginalised people.
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23/02/2010
22/02/2024 19:15
