Indonesia, freed from Netherlands colonialism after the second World War, nevertheless fell under the authoritarian and autocratic rule of Sukarno. He held power, even though the many islands were full of different ethnic minorities, and religious zealots, including a strong Islamic influence. By 1965, there was also a strong Communist faction, the PKI Party, and its many opponents attempted to quash it. Sukarno, paranoid about any foreign influence, felt that one of the parties made up of newspaper editors and other intellectuals, was being funded by the American CIA and literally destroyed it. This, and a large Afro-Asian conference in Jakarta, seemed to give Sukarto the courage to side with the PKI. Actually, the Communists were successful with their peaceful penetration. But, when six top generals were kidnapped from their homes on October 1, 1965, a revolutionary party was formed, everyone who was suspected of being friendly with the army was purged, and many massacred. Despite occasional interludes of some democracy in Indonesia, the various islands and their own minorities, never coalesced into an entity. This is true even today, when President Wahid is about to be impeached, and rebels have massacred thousands in East Timor. Because there are so many different influences on the islands that make up Indonesia, turmoil continues. Even as the largest Asian Islamic nation, no stability is in sight.
Thirty-seven years later, the internal enmity continues.
Democracy is a failure in Southeast Asia, since its people are culturally inclined to accept authority. As in Indonesia, the current Filipino president is on the verge of impeachment. From the end of World War II, the various elected presidents have always seized more power than the Philippine constitution legally permitted. Of course, we know about Ferdinand Marcos and Imelda, and their stranglehold on the nation. We a
...