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Lessons Repeated

© Jason Gottlieb

You know the feeling that you're making the same mistakes over and over again? Ever feel that try as you might, the same old stuff isn't working?

This week, Indonesian students rioted against their perception of corrupt governance, as the army fired rubber bullets and tear gas into the crowd. Again.

Also this week, the Japanese government announced it would offer a tax break in the form of shopping coupons to millions of Japanese, as economists argue that the best way to revive the economy is give people cash. Again.

And also this week, the major political parties in Cambodia agreed to amend the Constitution to allow for a coalition government, as they prepared to enter a power-sharing arrangement between Prince Ranariddh and Hun Sen. Again.

A glance at this week's headlines could be the headlines of last month, last year, last decade. China annoyed as the US meets a dissident leader. A high-profile trial in Malaysia tainted with charges of brutality and corruption. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economic group squabbling amongst themselves. Japan unwilling to lower politically motivated protectionist trade barriers.

All of these stories are in some ways different -- different actors, different governments, and wholly different political systems. But there is something uncannily and eerily similar in each. A student of East Asian politics would be forgiven for thinking that nothing ever really, fundamentally changes. Further examining the three recurring stories -- the Indonesian riots, the Japanese tax break, and the Cambodian agreement -- may help illustrate the point.

In Jakarta last week, at least fourteen people (mostly students) were killed in rioting against the new government of President B.J. Habibie. Six months ago, about 1,200 people (mostly students) were killed in rioting against the old government of President Suharto, whose corrupt, anti-democratic ways were brought to an abrupt end. Again, the focus of the student riots was the lack of democratic reform by the government, and again, much of their anger was taken out on the largely Chinese commercial district in an ethnically charged environment of hate.

The government, as before, blamed shadowy opposition figures for secretly stirring up trouble. Armed Forces Spokesman Brigadier General Togar Sianipar said, "We have come to know of certain groups which are making use of the situation to create chaos similar to that of May 13-14." The exact identity of these groups and their leaders remains vague. But the fact that the military is speaking for the government is one of the main problems. The students are (as before) protecting that the army plays such a large role in the government, and getting the military out of their political role, where they spent much of their time propping up the Suharto regime through brutal and often violent repression of dissent.

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