I was frequently asked about whether the election will improve America's relations with the Islamic world. This is an impossible questions to answer -- of the opaque crystal ball variety -- but I tried to dissect it and by the end had at least put a finger on why it was hard to answer (aside from the fact it was a prediction)
1) Yes, at first. People all over the world, including in America, will feel like President Bush leaving will be like opening the windows after a long winter. Here, at least, it is a function of his being unpopular but also we just get tired of President's after eight years. To the extent that "problems with the Islamic world" is a reference to not looking President Bush the issue will be solved by his leaving.
2) But, maybe the question is difficult. indonesians really do feel a part of something called "Islam" in a way that very few (some, but not many) Americans, and even fewer Europeans feel they belong to something called "the Christian world". This sounds like a small thing but it is a major gap in conversation. I don't personally, think of policy toward the "Islamic world".
I think of North African policy or policy toward the Israeli's and Palestinians -- the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. I know we have a policy toward Kosovo and Chechnya and Kashmir. We have a Southeast Asian policy that encompasses Muslim Malaysia, Buddhist Thailand, Communist Vietnam, Catholic Philippines, Muslim Indonesia, and the hard drinkers in Australia. Our policy is situational, or regional, or nation specific -- not directed at pan-religious affiliations.
This isn't to say we aren't aware that people view "Islam" as a sort of unity nor that we are unaware of the effects our policies have on public perceptions. It isn't even to say that some efforts are made to craft initiatives that do address the Islamic world -- it is only to say that viewing the world as great religious blocks isn't or first instinct or the driver of our foreign policy.
There are, of course, Americans who argue that we are a "Christian" nation and, I'm sure, people who view our battles as blessed by God but these people are a minority (plus viewing yourself as a member of a "christian" nation is very different from feeling a deep sense of unity with the rest of the "christian" world).
I tried to state that the best I could and then gave what many of you will no doubt feel is a weak answer and that is, whoever is elected will have a chance to do things differently. They won't be trapped under eight years of decisions and promises and the rest of the world's views won't be hardened toward them. But, having said that, the world will be the same world. All of the candidates will support the existence of Israel -- all of them will work to negotiate a peace between Palestine and Israel. Much is made of the differences between McCain and Obama/Clinton on Iraq but I am hard pressed to see if there will be a genuine difference after the election -- maybe a matter of some months or weeks on troop removal, possibly McCain is more likely to establish a permanent base (like in Germany, Japan, Iceland, etc.) but all of them will still aggressively pursue the fighting in Afghanistan and the war on terror.
There is a possibility that Obama and Clinton may change the rhetoric of terrorism and give a more narrow definition to the term. I think Bush was trapped politically when he lumped all sorts of movements into the term "terrorist".
Finally, I stated that on economic issues McCain was a little more likely to support free trade agreements (the Indonesians favor them) so in terms of foreign policy -- they would like Obama or Clinton more - marginally and on economic issues they might like McCain more (even more marginally).
Monday, March 3, 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Israel and the "jewish lobby"
This was by far the most difficult set of issues mainly because I wouldn’t give the same answers at home – because the context is different. When an American complains about Israel she is nervous about another nation influencing our foreign policy. When an Indonesian asks the question she means that we are paying Israel to stay in the Middle East instead of leaving and giving the land back to the Palestineans (to Germany or Austria per the suggestion of the Iranian President – a popular figure in Indonesia). I may be wrong, but I don’t think most Americans would want to stand by to see Israel destroyed.
Indonesians were not particularly open about what they would want to happen so when asked the “Israeli Lobby” or “Jewish Lobby” and its influence on the campaign I answered as follows.
There are a lot of lobbies in America that argue their point of view to the president, congress, and bureaucracy. Money is important and often wins the day. This isn’t fair and the power of some lobby groups, in my opinion, is one of the biggest failings of democracy. However, groups and interests organizing to put their point of view across is a vital feature of democracy and how one balances the power of money and the ability to argue is a major issue.
Jewish Americans and Israel have a potent and well organized lobby. However, they are probably more effective at public relations work and at lobbying congress on specific issues than affecting a race for the U.S. President. Jewish Americans themselves, although big supporters of Israel, will almost certainly vote heavily democratic, no matter who the democrats nominate.
It is easy to confuse cause and effect. American presidents have supported Israel since Truman not because there is a Jewish lobby but because they think it is the right (for whatever reason) thing to do.
Imagine this, if we stopped giving money to Israel, Palestine, and Egypt tomorrow there would still be a crisis in the Middle East – people aren’t fighting over trade barriers or tariffs – they are fighting over the very existence of their nation. I think the US could exert pressure on Indonesia to change a policy on, say, the price of sugar, but it could hardly persuade Indonesia to surrender territory to Malaysia. Israel and Palestine have to work it out themselves.
None of our candidates for president has a particularly unique policy toward Israel. In fact, they are very similar. I think a new president, any new president, will have the chance to start the peace process over but the issue is survival, the territory is tiny, and extremists on both sides, although small in number, exert influence through violence.
In a situation like this, the U.S. has less power than much of the world thinks. There is a feeling in Indonesia, and I’m sure in much the rest of the world, the US can do anything. This creates the odd situation of them wanting us to both stop breaking things and to do all of the fixing. At the heart of this is what I think is an over exaggeration of our power and an underestimate of the extent to which we simply respond to events. Power may show itself in the ability to act but certainly not in the ability to predict the outcomes of those actions.
One man asked a laundry list question
1) Attitude toward Islamic world
2) F 16 fighters to Indonesia
3) Bird Flu Vaccine
4) 1965 Coup and the CIA
I didn’t have much to add to 2, 3, and 4 but the underlying belief is “if Indonsian policy isn’t going well, or the world situation is wrong, or my history didn’t turn out the way I thought it should, it must be the fault of the US”.
This attitude is convenient for corporations and the government. Instead of being good corporate citizens or an efficient government they can use the “American Card” and divert attention away from their own issues. In many ways, America and Israel function for governments in Islamic nations (and, I believe, some corporations) like the issue of “moral values” does for Republicans. It keeps people on their side without having to actually do anything.
I got to thinking that the Bush administration has been very good for Iran. He got rid of Saddam Hussin and the Taliban – both thorns in Iran’s two sides – and he has provided the perfect foil for “blame politics”.
I do happen to believe that the US is screwing up a lot and that moral values is a legitimate political issue (I’m personally against them but I respect their right to be in the political arena and their importance to people) but they are clearly deployed to keep people under control. What would happen to the Iranian president if the US and Israeli suddenly became an Iranian ally? He would have to deliver on social and economic issues.
What the Indonesians ought to be looking closer at isn’t Israel, which has no impact on their future, but multi-national corporations intersecting with political corruption (including US corporations) stripping them of their natural resources.
Indonesians were not particularly open about what they would want to happen so when asked the “Israeli Lobby” or “Jewish Lobby” and its influence on the campaign I answered as follows.
There are a lot of lobbies in America that argue their point of view to the president, congress, and bureaucracy. Money is important and often wins the day. This isn’t fair and the power of some lobby groups, in my opinion, is one of the biggest failings of democracy. However, groups and interests organizing to put their point of view across is a vital feature of democracy and how one balances the power of money and the ability to argue is a major issue.
Jewish Americans and Israel have a potent and well organized lobby. However, they are probably more effective at public relations work and at lobbying congress on specific issues than affecting a race for the U.S. President. Jewish Americans themselves, although big supporters of Israel, will almost certainly vote heavily democratic, no matter who the democrats nominate.
It is easy to confuse cause and effect. American presidents have supported Israel since Truman not because there is a Jewish lobby but because they think it is the right (for whatever reason) thing to do.
Imagine this, if we stopped giving money to Israel, Palestine, and Egypt tomorrow there would still be a crisis in the Middle East – people aren’t fighting over trade barriers or tariffs – they are fighting over the very existence of their nation. I think the US could exert pressure on Indonesia to change a policy on, say, the price of sugar, but it could hardly persuade Indonesia to surrender territory to Malaysia. Israel and Palestine have to work it out themselves.
None of our candidates for president has a particularly unique policy toward Israel. In fact, they are very similar. I think a new president, any new president, will have the chance to start the peace process over but the issue is survival, the territory is tiny, and extremists on both sides, although small in number, exert influence through violence.
In a situation like this, the U.S. has less power than much of the world thinks. There is a feeling in Indonesia, and I’m sure in much the rest of the world, the US can do anything. This creates the odd situation of them wanting us to both stop breaking things and to do all of the fixing. At the heart of this is what I think is an over exaggeration of our power and an underestimate of the extent to which we simply respond to events. Power may show itself in the ability to act but certainly not in the ability to predict the outcomes of those actions.
One man asked a laundry list question
1) Attitude toward Islamic world
2) F 16 fighters to Indonesia
3) Bird Flu Vaccine
4) 1965 Coup and the CIA
I didn’t have much to add to 2, 3, and 4 but the underlying belief is “if Indonsian policy isn’t going well, or the world situation is wrong, or my history didn’t turn out the way I thought it should, it must be the fault of the US”.
This attitude is convenient for corporations and the government. Instead of being good corporate citizens or an efficient government they can use the “American Card” and divert attention away from their own issues. In many ways, America and Israel function for governments in Islamic nations (and, I believe, some corporations) like the issue of “moral values” does for Republicans. It keeps people on their side without having to actually do anything.
I got to thinking that the Bush administration has been very good for Iran. He got rid of Saddam Hussin and the Taliban – both thorns in Iran’s two sides – and he has provided the perfect foil for “blame politics”.
I do happen to believe that the US is screwing up a lot and that moral values is a legitimate political issue (I’m personally against them but I respect their right to be in the political arena and their importance to people) but they are clearly deployed to keep people under control. What would happen to the Iranian president if the US and Israeli suddenly became an Iranian ally? He would have to deliver on social and economic issues.
What the Indonesians ought to be looking closer at isn’t Israel, which has no impact on their future, but multi-national corporations intersecting with political corruption (including US corporations) stripping them of their natural resources.
Race and The Election
Will being a black hurt Obama? Will being a woman hurt Hilary?
They meant this question in two ways – in terms of winning and in terms of governing. I told them that the presidency was an institution and that whoever took the office would be treated as president and I doubted that race or gender would effect their ability to govern and, in fact, might be an advantage in some situations. It is clear that Obama would have a real opening to Indonesia – they love him there – and might also make some real progress in Africa.
As far as getting elected I answered as follows – feel free to disagree
No, not a lot. In fact, I think that thus far race has been a positive for Obama. Imagine a white, four year senator from Illinois, named Bob Smith. Would he be running for president? No.
Of course there are people in our country who would not vote for an African American or a woman just like there are people in your country who might not vote for a woman or a catholic or someone from a province they didn’t respect and, of course, there is still racism and gender discrimination in the US but those people, mostly, already vote Republican (I hated to say that but I think it is true) so, in a two party system, the loss of their votes didn’t make any difference.
They may lose some votes from independents or democrats who were nervous about an African-American or a woman, but, in the two party calculus, they would probably pick up marginally more votes from independents and republicans who felt it was about time we did something different.
They meant this question in two ways – in terms of winning and in terms of governing. I told them that the presidency was an institution and that whoever took the office would be treated as president and I doubted that race or gender would effect their ability to govern and, in fact, might be an advantage in some situations. It is clear that Obama would have a real opening to Indonesia – they love him there – and might also make some real progress in Africa.
As far as getting elected I answered as follows – feel free to disagree
No, not a lot. In fact, I think that thus far race has been a positive for Obama. Imagine a white, four year senator from Illinois, named Bob Smith. Would he be running for president? No.
Of course there are people in our country who would not vote for an African American or a woman just like there are people in your country who might not vote for a woman or a catholic or someone from a province they didn’t respect and, of course, there is still racism and gender discrimination in the US but those people, mostly, already vote Republican (I hated to say that but I think it is true) so, in a two party system, the loss of their votes didn’t make any difference.
They may lose some votes from independents or democrats who were nervous about an African-American or a woman, but, in the two party calculus, they would probably pick up marginally more votes from independents and republicans who felt it was about time we did something different.
Name Cards
Indonesia is a big name card culture (it is not alone of course). People like to exchange cards – so do Americans really – it is an efficient assist to our failing memories – but they are more diligent in remembering. I ran out of cards in Jakarta – note to self – bring more damn cards next time. In my luggage I had hundreds of cards . I hope to send all of them an email thanking them for their hospitality.
Last Day in Indonesia
Friday, February 29th.
No meetings, up at 7:00, shopped in mall and walked around town, couldn’t even spend all of my own money. Went in bookstore again to look at anti American shit. Daydreamed about helping the poor and stopping illegal logging. Packed. God did I pack. One problem with this trip, maybe the only negative really, is the packing and unpacking. Hong Kong, Jakarta, Bali, Surabaya, Pakanbaru, Singapore – six hotels in two weeks. And everywhere you receive a gift == plus you buy some things for people – you get name cards, receipts, paper of indeterminate importance, books in Indonesian, and your luggage multiplies like naughty small mammals left alone. Every night empty your pockets, sort your clothes, organize, and go to bed. When time comes to go you pack it all up in newer and more innovative, space-saving combinations, and move to the next place. I packed too much, I kept too much, and I carried too much.
Left the hotel at 3:30. I was on my own at that point – no one from the Embassy was around – although Rachma had organized a car for me no one in the hotel could either a) remember that she had or b) tell me that I was taking the car she had organized. This illustrates a basic rule of the inexperienced traveler – you only vaguely know what is going on. The only way to approach it I guess it to be clear about your goal (must get to airport at this time) and smile a lot and be a dumbass. I was a serviceable insistent, polite, dumbass.
No meetings, up at 7:00, shopped in mall and walked around town, couldn’t even spend all of my own money. Went in bookstore again to look at anti American shit. Daydreamed about helping the poor and stopping illegal logging. Packed. God did I pack. One problem with this trip, maybe the only negative really, is the packing and unpacking. Hong Kong, Jakarta, Bali, Surabaya, Pakanbaru, Singapore – six hotels in two weeks. And everywhere you receive a gift == plus you buy some things for people – you get name cards, receipts, paper of indeterminate importance, books in Indonesian, and your luggage multiplies like naughty small mammals left alone. Every night empty your pockets, sort your clothes, organize, and go to bed. When time comes to go you pack it all up in newer and more innovative, space-saving combinations, and move to the next place. I packed too much, I kept too much, and I carried too much.
Left the hotel at 3:30. I was on my own at that point – no one from the Embassy was around – although Rachma had organized a car for me no one in the hotel could either a) remember that she had or b) tell me that I was taking the car she had organized. This illustrates a basic rule of the inexperienced traveler – you only vaguely know what is going on. The only way to approach it I guess it to be clear about your goal (must get to airport at this time) and smile a lot and be a dumbass. I was a serviceable insistent, polite, dumbass.
Checking Into Aston in Pekanbaru
Got to the Pekanbaru hotel and went thru the check in ritual. When you don’t speak the language, and are in another land, you really do rely on a combination of system, guesses, and ritualized kindness. Security and airport check in always has a rough family resemblance but the sequence of when things are done, their location, and their exact rituals vary. In Indonesia, before you check a bag they put a strap around it so there are little “strap counters” around. In the U.S. of course they want to get in your bag so you can’t even lock it. I think I put my carry on thru two metal detectors – once to get into the airport and the other to get into the gate area and once more to get into the gate itself – but the general attitude of the guards is more casual. You also have to pay a 3.00 airport tax and the location of payment seems to vary.
Let it be said here that the hardest country to get in and out of is the U.S. and this hurts our standing with visitors and potential students. Two people even asked about it during my talks. I never had to take off my shoes on this trip (I did see a woman take off her large boots in Singapore but you could have hidden a cannon in them) and the customs agents were always at least polite. I think I said earlier that in Hong Kong they give you candy. When they explain the rules for entering the US on the airplane (I’m typing this right after hearing it) people just start to laugh they are so complex. The best thing about the US is, well, the US.
People can disagree but, speaking from an Indonesian perspective – and I think a lot of other places as well – people that have visited the US have been amazed at how open and friendly the people are. Borat made fun of the US but can you imagine Cohen trying to even make the movie in France – no one would have talked to him – the movie would have been shorter than a commercial. I’m not saying the people are well informed or always sensitive but, generally, they do what they can to accommodate people’s religious and personal beliefs. I have seen this time and again in the programs run by the Civic Initiative and testified to universally by every visitor I met in Indonesia. There was no dissent on the issue. One man I met had lived in Dayton Ohio (I’m sorry if I’m repeating things I wrote earlier) for ten years. He said that he had never met the kind of open minded people like he did in Dayton. Now, my New England readers may snicker about the red necks in the heartland, but, in fact, people with strong religious beliefs connect BETTER with Indonesians, not a tolerant secular person. He said he met every week for coffee and cookies with an InterFaith council in Kettering, hosted by a local Protestant church, and attended by Catholics, protestants, Jews, and Muslims.
But when it comes to getting here – we look bad sometimes. This isn’t to deny that security isn’t critical nor to suggest that a threat doesn’t exist but everything exists in a balance.
Let it be said here that the hardest country to get in and out of is the U.S. and this hurts our standing with visitors and potential students. Two people even asked about it during my talks. I never had to take off my shoes on this trip (I did see a woman take off her large boots in Singapore but you could have hidden a cannon in them) and the customs agents were always at least polite. I think I said earlier that in Hong Kong they give you candy. When they explain the rules for entering the US on the airplane (I’m typing this right after hearing it) people just start to laugh they are so complex. The best thing about the US is, well, the US.
People can disagree but, speaking from an Indonesian perspective – and I think a lot of other places as well – people that have visited the US have been amazed at how open and friendly the people are. Borat made fun of the US but can you imagine Cohen trying to even make the movie in France – no one would have talked to him – the movie would have been shorter than a commercial. I’m not saying the people are well informed or always sensitive but, generally, they do what they can to accommodate people’s religious and personal beliefs. I have seen this time and again in the programs run by the Civic Initiative and testified to universally by every visitor I met in Indonesia. There was no dissent on the issue. One man I met had lived in Dayton Ohio (I’m sorry if I’m repeating things I wrote earlier) for ten years. He said that he had never met the kind of open minded people like he did in Dayton. Now, my New England readers may snicker about the red necks in the heartland, but, in fact, people with strong religious beliefs connect BETTER with Indonesians, not a tolerant secular person. He said he met every week for coffee and cookies with an InterFaith council in Kettering, hosted by a local Protestant church, and attended by Catholics, protestants, Jews, and Muslims.
But when it comes to getting here – we look bad sometimes. This isn’t to deny that security isn’t critical nor to suggest that a threat doesn’t exist but everything exists in a balance.
Sumatra
I flew to Sumatra thru Jakarta. By this time I was beginning to feel more at home. It is good that the trips we run are 6 weeks long. It takes a few weeks just to get used to your surroundings.
I was met at the airport by Rachma Jauanriata (sp). The consulate contact was sick. Rachma is an Indonesian national who works for the Consulate in Sumatra (city of Medan). She was the perfect host. Rachma had gone to high school in Indonesia and was trained as an architect. She not only got me to all of my events, she created a few new ones – setting up additional meetings with local political parties.
I was met at the airport by Rachma Jauanriata (sp). The consulate contact was sick. Rachma is an Indonesian national who works for the Consulate in Sumatra (city of Medan). She was the perfect host. Rachma had gone to high school in Indonesia and was trained as an architect. She not only got me to all of my events, she created a few new ones – setting up additional meetings with local political parties.
Surabaya, local areas, and Muslim Self Help
Headed to the Denpassar airport with John Taylor for a flight to Surabaya. Surabaya is the second largest city in Indonesia and the figure that comes to mind while typing is 4000000 people. It is a business and manufacturing city – what places like Pittsburg and Buffalo and Cleveland must have been like when the plants still operated at full bore. Polluted, energetic, fast moving, crowded, it was a lot like Jakarta but less so. I stayed at another Marriot, very nice place with an incredible staff, but had very little time in the city.
I had gotten sick on Bali. When I get sick, even for a brief period, I completely forget what it is like to be well. I don’t know what that observation means but, at that point, I had forgotten what it was like to be well. But when I walked into the lobby, I felt better because a number of my friends were there. Jalu (who flew there to see me), Silfia, Ria, and Dian greeted me at the hotel. I went up and changed, came down, and they took me on a tour of their city. They had a driver from Ready Mix concrete. Dian had left school and was working with the concrete company teaching their employees English. I guess, but again, this is one of those things I only partly understood, she was able to use the driver at certain times. He (the driver) was a young guy who got completely lost and we found ourselves in the slums of Surabaya, by a large drainage canal.
Indonesian cities have grown so fast that the organizational structure is still based on a kind of village model. Each small area (I’m not an expert on this at all so I have to be vague) has some sort of voluntary government function. There is a watchman (sometimes paid, sometimes not, sometimes non-existent) and a guy who takes the garbage out to a place where, sometimes, the government picks it up – the trucks couldn’t get down the narrow streets and alleys. In a place I went in Jakarta, finding a well was a sort of public, local function also.
Anyway, I’m sure Indonesian experts are shaking their head at my ignorance – writing about things they have known about for years – but I can’t help thinking that some recognition of these local functions, and a not overly regulative form of support (buying new carts for the garbage guy) would be a good step toward developing democracy – but I say this without any knowledge at all – maybe they are doing that – this kind of comment is the danger of the two day observation.
I asked about Mosques and they seem to work more on the Catholic then the Protestant model. People go to their neighborhood Mosque. I was told by a number of people that they don’t “mosque shop” (I bet it happens though) but attend locally. The notion of breaking off from the congregation and forming a competing Mosque across the street from the old one, doesn’t seem common there – unlike in my home town of Springfield – four corners, four churches, Ohio.
Hinduism is very hard to understand from westerners raised in the Christian tradition – because of the multiple gods and the complexity – but Islam in some ways is very familiar. At the level of popular culture you could put a Muslim self help book (and there are a lot of them in the book stores) right next to a Christian self help book (and there are a lot of them in the book stores). “How to have a Muslim Marriage”; “Muslim Beauty”; “How to Be a More Attractive Muslimah” (muslim woman)” – inspirational books by the Muslim equivalent of Billy Graham – etc.
It took me a while but I did notice that the book store was similar to American book stores in that there were just a lot of books about religion in general. Christian, Buddhism -- Islamic biographies of Jesus. Indonesians as a whole are very interested in Religion. The state requires you to pick one of six for your identity card so it is obviously an identity issue of some importance. Jalu, my friend from Jakarta (who met me in Surabaya) bought me a book "Arok and Dedes" about Java in 1215. It was fascinating to read about both a) the importance of religion and b) the variety and permeability of beliefs -- different brands of Hinduism (Shiva vs Vishnu); Buddhism, local gods, and ancestor worship were intermingled and the source of political conflict. I'm sure it is a source of conversations and academic conferences to talk about the diverse religious history of Indonesia and modern forms of Fundamentalism.
One area where the similarities end is the arguments over the role of church and state but I’m not sure of the extent to which this is a religious or a historical development questions. I’ll wrestle with that later but suffice it to say that a lot of people felt the separation would cause the withering away of both and that corruption was due to a loss of religious fervor whereas my view is the complete opposite – that linkage causes a withering of both and that corruption has nothing to do with religion – in fact, if anything, a back of the envelope calculation would suggest that the less religious a country is the less corrupt (but this surely isn’t causal but reflects economic standing). This is the same mistake Romney made when he said freedom and religion depended on each other. Maybe the had a relationship at some point in the past for western nations, and maybe they are linked in some places at some times, but not in most places, right now.
Anyway, that long ramble took me away from the the trip with my friends. They took me out to dinner at a local place and I started to get sick again. I had an Indonesian dish, Nasi Goreng Ayam (Fried rice with Chicken) but I just pushed it around on my plate and then I said – we have to leave now. People came back to the hotel, came up and took a look at the room, and left for the lobby. I came down a little later but I was done. This was one of two low points – the other being mixing up Suharto and Sukarno in a political party meeting – and I feel really bad for my friends who often came, on scooters, a long way to see me – I was a disappointing guest.
The next evening, after my day’s events, I got a call from Ria. She had suggested she might come back but I had forgotten and was still ill. She was in the lobby with a young man who she had introduced me to the night before. I came down and talked for a while. It turned out they are engaged and she wanted me to meet him but, again, I was a disappointment. I was much improved the next day when I flew to Sumatra.
I had gotten sick on Bali. When I get sick, even for a brief period, I completely forget what it is like to be well. I don’t know what that observation means but, at that point, I had forgotten what it was like to be well. But when I walked into the lobby, I felt better because a number of my friends were there. Jalu (who flew there to see me), Silfia, Ria, and Dian greeted me at the hotel. I went up and changed, came down, and they took me on a tour of their city. They had a driver from Ready Mix concrete. Dian had left school and was working with the concrete company teaching their employees English. I guess, but again, this is one of those things I only partly understood, she was able to use the driver at certain times. He (the driver) was a young guy who got completely lost and we found ourselves in the slums of Surabaya, by a large drainage canal.
Indonesian cities have grown so fast that the organizational structure is still based on a kind of village model. Each small area (I’m not an expert on this at all so I have to be vague) has some sort of voluntary government function. There is a watchman (sometimes paid, sometimes not, sometimes non-existent) and a guy who takes the garbage out to a place where, sometimes, the government picks it up – the trucks couldn’t get down the narrow streets and alleys. In a place I went in Jakarta, finding a well was a sort of public, local function also.
Anyway, I’m sure Indonesian experts are shaking their head at my ignorance – writing about things they have known about for years – but I can’t help thinking that some recognition of these local functions, and a not overly regulative form of support (buying new carts for the garbage guy) would be a good step toward developing democracy – but I say this without any knowledge at all – maybe they are doing that – this kind of comment is the danger of the two day observation.
I asked about Mosques and they seem to work more on the Catholic then the Protestant model. People go to their neighborhood Mosque. I was told by a number of people that they don’t “mosque shop” (I bet it happens though) but attend locally. The notion of breaking off from the congregation and forming a competing Mosque across the street from the old one, doesn’t seem common there – unlike in my home town of Springfield – four corners, four churches, Ohio.
Hinduism is very hard to understand from westerners raised in the Christian tradition – because of the multiple gods and the complexity – but Islam in some ways is very familiar. At the level of popular culture you could put a Muslim self help book (and there are a lot of them in the book stores) right next to a Christian self help book (and there are a lot of them in the book stores). “How to have a Muslim Marriage”; “Muslim Beauty”; “How to Be a More Attractive Muslimah” (muslim woman)” – inspirational books by the Muslim equivalent of Billy Graham – etc.
It took me a while but I did notice that the book store was similar to American book stores in that there were just a lot of books about religion in general. Christian, Buddhism -- Islamic biographies of Jesus. Indonesians as a whole are very interested in Religion. The state requires you to pick one of six for your identity card so it is obviously an identity issue of some importance. Jalu, my friend from Jakarta (who met me in Surabaya) bought me a book "Arok and Dedes" about Java in 1215. It was fascinating to read about both a) the importance of religion and b) the variety and permeability of beliefs -- different brands of Hinduism (Shiva vs Vishnu); Buddhism, local gods, and ancestor worship were intermingled and the source of political conflict. I'm sure it is a source of conversations and academic conferences to talk about the diverse religious history of Indonesia and modern forms of Fundamentalism.
One area where the similarities end is the arguments over the role of church and state but I’m not sure of the extent to which this is a religious or a historical development questions. I’ll wrestle with that later but suffice it to say that a lot of people felt the separation would cause the withering away of both and that corruption was due to a loss of religious fervor whereas my view is the complete opposite – that linkage causes a withering of both and that corruption has nothing to do with religion – in fact, if anything, a back of the envelope calculation would suggest that the less religious a country is the less corrupt (but this surely isn’t causal but reflects economic standing). This is the same mistake Romney made when he said freedom and religion depended on each other. Maybe the had a relationship at some point in the past for western nations, and maybe they are linked in some places at some times, but not in most places, right now.
Anyway, that long ramble took me away from the the trip with my friends. They took me out to dinner at a local place and I started to get sick again. I had an Indonesian dish, Nasi Goreng Ayam (Fried rice with Chicken) but I just pushed it around on my plate and then I said – we have to leave now. People came back to the hotel, came up and took a look at the room, and left for the lobby. I came down a little later but I was done. This was one of two low points – the other being mixing up Suharto and Sukarno in a political party meeting – and I feel really bad for my friends who often came, on scooters, a long way to see me – I was a disappointing guest.
The next evening, after my day’s events, I got a call from Ria. She had suggested she might come back but I had forgotten and was still ill. She was in the lobby with a young man who she had introduced me to the night before. I came down and talked for a while. It turned out they are engaged and she wanted me to meet him but, again, I was a disappointment. I was much improved the next day when I flew to Sumatra.
Political Parties
Had two dinners on Bali – one with a political party group PKS and another with a group of academics. PKS is a political party. It is Islamic in its general view and against corruption. This, at least, is how they describe themselves. When I write that sentence “Islamic and Against Corruption” does it mean anything to you as you read it? Probably it means a lot and it means nothing. We all know what, very roughly, what “Islamic” means – pertaining to Islam. And we all know what “corruption” means.
When I met with other parties they explained their platforms in similar ways. "Islamic Values (sometimes "Indonesian Values" and against corruption. I didn't find any parties against islam or for corruption. Beyond that, they really can't tell you much about why they are different on policy issues from the other party. They are shifting alliances, some rooted in pre-existing national organizations (Golkar -- previous rulers and a few others aligned with national Islamic movements)Except we don’t.), some built a around leaders, some just trying to make their way in a new Democracy and all organized to take a share of power. Differentiation on policy ideas is not very strong and differentiation on performance will have to wait for more time.
When I met with other parties they explained their platforms in similar ways. "Islamic Values (sometimes "Indonesian Values" and against corruption. I didn't find any parties against islam or for corruption. Beyond that, they really can't tell you much about why they are different on policy issues from the other party. They are shifting alliances, some rooted in pre-existing national organizations (Golkar -- previous rulers and a few others aligned with national Islamic movements)Except we don’t.), some built a around leaders, some just trying to make their way in a new Democracy and all organized to take a share of power. Differentiation on policy ideas is not very strong and differentiation on performance will have to wait for more time.
Bali Tour
Bali and Tour
Bali is a 90% Hindu island that is a part of an 80% Muslim nation. I never got a good answer as to why Bali remained Hindu (or became Hindu) while the island directly to its east, Lombok, became Muslim. Hinduism and Buddhism, as well as local versions of Animism were here long before Islam and I imagine that in a series of conflicts Hindus from Java crossed to Bali for protection and blended with the local culture. This all makes sense but why the Indonesian islands east of Bali became Muslim is harder to explain. How did Bali hold out? Why was it skipped over?
You know Bali is different the second you walk into the airport. There is incense burning and the people dress differently – more color, more what you might expect in India. There are also offerings everywhere – the first one I saw was to a small Frog statue on top of the Urinal in the mens room – next to a flat fish tank mounted on the wall. There are temples and statues all over – in the oddest, most unlikely spots – and every day some small dish with flowers and food (maybe food – I didn’t pick one apart so I couldn’t say exactly what was in the dish) appear. You can see the previous days offerings collected in trash pits. I can’t exaggerate how many offerings there are. When I spoke at University of Genesha in Singaraja, Bali, I was walking around giving my talk – I can’t sit still – and there was a little offering right in the middle of the floor. I tried to avoid stepping on it.
My good friend good friend Ratna Haris picked me up at my hotel at 10:00 on Saturday the 23rd and, along with her husband and two friends they made at their hotel, took me on a tour of Bali. This was incredibly nice of them. They rented a driver, (and they had flown their from their home city of Makassar), and took me to a large Hindu temple, a beautiful mountain lake, and a local market.
Bali is a 90% Hindu island that is a part of an 80% Muslim nation. I never got a good answer as to why Bali remained Hindu (or became Hindu) while the island directly to its east, Lombok, became Muslim. Hinduism and Buddhism, as well as local versions of Animism were here long before Islam and I imagine that in a series of conflicts Hindus from Java crossed to Bali for protection and blended with the local culture. This all makes sense but why the Indonesian islands east of Bali became Muslim is harder to explain. How did Bali hold out? Why was it skipped over?
You know Bali is different the second you walk into the airport. There is incense burning and the people dress differently – more color, more what you might expect in India. There are also offerings everywhere – the first one I saw was to a small Frog statue on top of the Urinal in the mens room – next to a flat fish tank mounted on the wall. There are temples and statues all over – in the oddest, most unlikely spots – and every day some small dish with flowers and food (maybe food – I didn’t pick one apart so I couldn’t say exactly what was in the dish) appear. You can see the previous days offerings collected in trash pits. I can’t exaggerate how many offerings there are. When I spoke at University of Genesha in Singaraja, Bali, I was walking around giving my talk – I can’t sit still – and there was a little offering right in the middle of the floor. I tried to avoid stepping on it.
My good friend good friend Ratna Haris picked me up at my hotel at 10:00 on Saturday the 23rd and, along with her husband and two friends they made at their hotel, took me on a tour of Bali. This was incredibly nice of them. They rented a driver, (and they had flown their from their home city of Makassar), and took me to a large Hindu temple, a beautiful mountain lake, and a local market.
Begging
Beggars
I’m not sure if any more people approached me for money in Indonesia then in New York City but there is a difference. In NYC or Boston most people asking for money are men with mental issues, substance abuse problems, or both. In Indonesia there are more children and severely handicapped people begging. I only make the comparison to indicate that our society, as rich as it is, fails to take care of a number of people and theirs, which has severe financial issues does as well. I met with a group of NGO leaders in Sumatra and there was a group who worked with women who had been beaten by their husbands. They asked about what happens to a woman in the US if they are poor and their husband is arrested (I mentioned the law requiring the police to detain a suspected abuser for a period of time) and they have no place to go. I thought about that for a while and answered that there were a lot of small, local, or state (or private) run groups to help but, in essence, in the U.S., like Indonesia, it is not a good spot to be in.
I’m not sure if any more people approached me for money in Indonesia then in New York City but there is a difference. In NYC or Boston most people asking for money are men with mental issues, substance abuse problems, or both. In Indonesia there are more children and severely handicapped people begging. I only make the comparison to indicate that our society, as rich as it is, fails to take care of a number of people and theirs, which has severe financial issues does as well. I met with a group of NGO leaders in Sumatra and there was a group who worked with women who had been beaten by their husbands. They asked about what happens to a woman in the US if they are poor and their husband is arrested (I mentioned the law requiring the police to detain a suspected abuser for a period of time) and they have no place to go. I thought about that for a while and answered that there were a lot of small, local, or state (or private) run groups to help but, in essence, in the U.S., like Indonesia, it is not a good spot to be in.
Sick and Disoriented
Being Sick
Getting out of your hotel and trying new food and drinks is not risk free. I got sick in Bali and stayed that way for 72 hours. I brought an Anti-Biotic and that seemed to work. Luckily I was off for a day in Bali and didn’t have any sessions but when I did go to my next venue – Surabaya – I had an interesting two days of sessions. This is compounded a little by a topic I won’t discuss at length in a public blog – bathrooms.
The bathrooms I visited in Indonesia, even at gas stations, are as clean, or cleaner, then their American counter parts – in some places there is a person hanging around the bathroom who charges for use but they also clean it. I will leave the topic by saying that the methods are very different and that many Indonesian bathrooms, especially out of a big city, don’t use toilet paper and the toilet itself is flush to the ground. This, combined with a very hectic speaking schedule, and being sick, make for an interesting day.
Two old cultures, developing in isolation, both hygienic but simply dealing with things in a very different way.
Disorientation
When I first arrived in Jakarta I was completely disoriented. I didn’t know where to walk, how to cross a street, what was a store, what was a home – no concept of safety (Indonesia has petty crime but the rate of physical violence is low) – I couldn’t tell the difference between a yard and a sidewalk. Now that I have been here two weeks I am getting used to things but have to leave.
Getting out of your hotel and trying new food and drinks is not risk free. I got sick in Bali and stayed that way for 72 hours. I brought an Anti-Biotic and that seemed to work. Luckily I was off for a day in Bali and didn’t have any sessions but when I did go to my next venue – Surabaya – I had an interesting two days of sessions. This is compounded a little by a topic I won’t discuss at length in a public blog – bathrooms.
The bathrooms I visited in Indonesia, even at gas stations, are as clean, or cleaner, then their American counter parts – in some places there is a person hanging around the bathroom who charges for use but they also clean it. I will leave the topic by saying that the methods are very different and that many Indonesian bathrooms, especially out of a big city, don’t use toilet paper and the toilet itself is flush to the ground. This, combined with a very hectic speaking schedule, and being sick, make for an interesting day.
Two old cultures, developing in isolation, both hygienic but simply dealing with things in a very different way.
Disorientation
When I first arrived in Jakarta I was completely disoriented. I didn’t know where to walk, how to cross a street, what was a store, what was a home – no concept of safety (Indonesia has petty crime but the rate of physical violence is low) – I couldn’t tell the difference between a yard and a sidewalk. Now that I have been here two weeks I am getting used to things but have to leave.
Food
Food:
Food is an important social grease here in Indonesia and a big topic of conversation. There is food everywhere. Each meeting supplies a box snack which is pretty substantial. Some sort of dumplings, a sweet, small sandwich, fruit and a water cup. Water cups are ubiquitous and are simply purified water that you don’t open, you push the sharp end of a small straw into the top. In a country with a lot of water, no one can drink it from the tap – and water borne diseases are a real problem in a lot of areas. People really want you to try their food and will take you out and order for you and await a positive answer. We probably aren’t that different – we want people to like our country and our food. The difference probably is that Indonesian has a more diverse and older cultural history and their cuisine is really excellent with a lot of local variations. This isn’t to knock “American” food – but what is best in our food still reflects local, immigrant cultures – which is fine – but Indonesian food (which also reflects Indian, Malaysian, Arabic, Indigenous, etc. ) cultures is older and more settled in some ways.
The food is good and I will eat, and did eat, everything except Ox Tail Soup. I avoided that. More important than the food is the venue. I said above that food is everywhere and it is – hotels, restaurants, small food stalls, and portable carts. Boiled peanuts, boiled eggs, corn, rice, lamb, chicken, fish – it is available all the time in every location. I now know why Indonesian visitors are puzzled by how dead American cities look.
I didn’t really venture to try the portable carts. It is difficult when you really don’t know how to judge either food content or sanitation. I did go with my Pekanbaru contact, Racham, to a food stall for grilled lamb and it was one of the best meals I have had here (and they have all been good). I was served by a woman with an orange New York Yankees hat (note to self, start importing Red Sox hats and expand the nation) who just stared at me. Three teenagers moved to another booth so they could look, and try to figure out just what I was and what I was doing. I did the manly thing and picked up the dinner tab. It was $2.38. If you learned where to eat and shop – which wouldn’t take that long and would involve some errors of judgment for a while – you could live here very cheap by our standards. The hotel I’m writing from (in Pekanbaru, Sumartra) is 57.00 a night and they are running a special “third night free”.
Food is an important social grease here in Indonesia and a big topic of conversation. There is food everywhere. Each meeting supplies a box snack which is pretty substantial. Some sort of dumplings, a sweet, small sandwich, fruit and a water cup. Water cups are ubiquitous and are simply purified water that you don’t open, you push the sharp end of a small straw into the top. In a country with a lot of water, no one can drink it from the tap – and water borne diseases are a real problem in a lot of areas. People really want you to try their food and will take you out and order for you and await a positive answer. We probably aren’t that different – we want people to like our country and our food. The difference probably is that Indonesian has a more diverse and older cultural history and their cuisine is really excellent with a lot of local variations. This isn’t to knock “American” food – but what is best in our food still reflects local, immigrant cultures – which is fine – but Indonesian food (which also reflects Indian, Malaysian, Arabic, Indigenous, etc. ) cultures is older and more settled in some ways.
The food is good and I will eat, and did eat, everything except Ox Tail Soup. I avoided that. More important than the food is the venue. I said above that food is everywhere and it is – hotels, restaurants, small food stalls, and portable carts. Boiled peanuts, boiled eggs, corn, rice, lamb, chicken, fish – it is available all the time in every location. I now know why Indonesian visitors are puzzled by how dead American cities look.
I didn’t really venture to try the portable carts. It is difficult when you really don’t know how to judge either food content or sanitation. I did go with my Pekanbaru contact, Racham, to a food stall for grilled lamb and it was one of the best meals I have had here (and they have all been good). I was served by a woman with an orange New York Yankees hat (note to self, start importing Red Sox hats and expand the nation) who just stared at me. Three teenagers moved to another booth so they could look, and try to figure out just what I was and what I was doing. I did the manly thing and picked up the dinner tab. It was $2.38. If you learned where to eat and shop – which wouldn’t take that long and would involve some errors of judgment for a while – you could live here very cheap by our standards. The hotel I’m writing from (in Pekanbaru, Sumartra) is 57.00 a night and they are running a special “third night free”.
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