Civil Society Resilience

How resilient has civil society been amid the decline in democracy over the last few years? Many groups question the resilience of civil society.

Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro

An activist from the Coalition of Anticorruption Civil Society shows a document after reporting Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for allegedly obstructing an investigation into a bribery case that has implicated Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician Harun Masiku at the KPK building in Jakarta on Thursday (23/1/2020). Yasonna allegedly gave false information by saying Harun was overseas. His statement contradicted information from the immigration office that Harun has been in the country since Jan. 7.

“Government responses to the new coronavirus pandemic are disrupting civil society globally. More worryingly, illiberal leaders in a number of countries are taking advantage of the crisis when civil society groups are less able to fight back.”— (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2020)

How resilient has civil society been amid the decline in democracy over the last few years? The resilience of civil society is still facing a test because the attacks on democracy have multiplied with the spread of COVID-19 since early 2020, which will apparently continue into 2021.

Also read: Democracy, Political Stability and National Progress

Many groups question the resilience of civil society. Questions that often arise are how resilient, how strong, and how long will civil society be able to remain fighting for democracy, which continues to backslide in many countries, including Indonesia.

With space for expression getting increasingly narrow and economic resources becoming increasingly limited, what is the future for civil society?

Not only that, there are more existential questions. How can civil society maintain its existence in the midst of a political, economic and sociocultural environment that is not conducive. With space for expression getting increasingly narrow and economic resources becoming increasingly limited, what is the future for civil society?

The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) report, quoted at the outset of this article, stated that global civil society had been experiencing disruption since before the pandemic. Various regulations, praxis and political realities in many countries are increasingly strangling civil society.

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

Anticorruption Civil Society Coalition activists leave the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) building, Jakarta, after reporting Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly to the KPK on suspicion of inhibiting and interrogating investigations related to bribery cases implicating a former legislative candidate from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), Harun Masiku, Thursday (23/1/2020).

The difficulties of civil society have increased as the COVID-19 pandemic has spread, especially in the early months of 2020. Lockdowns, physical and social distancing and other health protocols have left civil society organizations and groups hesitant to help citizens who are threatened by the disease outbreak and are confused about facing a government that is struggling to form a unified policy to mitigate COVID-19.

“More worryingly, illiberal leaders in a number of countries are taking advantage of the crisis to tighten their

Also read: Beware of Authoritarianism

political grip by weakening checks and balances, imposing censorship and expanding state surveillance – all at a time when civil society groups are less able to fight back," wrote the CEIP.

However, civil society has resilience and flexibility in facing the various disruptions and difficulties of increasingly authoritarian ruling regimes. Its resilience is also seen in facing the various impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak when the government has been unable to properly mitigate the pandemic.

Facing various difficulties, civil society is not paralyzed. As the CEIP notes in the experience of a number of countries, civil society is discovering new dynamism and activism. The long experience of civil society has allowed them to find new approaches and ways of expressing resilience, maintaining their existence to continue to play an important role in defending citizens from the government and mitigating COVID-19 suffering.

Much of what the CEIP has disclosed is true in the Indonesian context. The truth is, first of all, related to the position of civil society, which has been increasingly marginalized in the political process over the last few years. Executive and legislative powers have conspired to push civil society to the edge of politics.

Second, the CEIP analysis is also true regarding the various difficulties of civil society in facing the COVID-19 outbreak, which, in a blessing in disguise, has created new activism. In the chaos of the coordination of the leadership and the state bureaucracy, civil society plays an important role to calm and support citizens.

Civil society organizations and groups work to help people who are struggling economically and socially. They raise various forms of philanthropy which are immediately channeled to those being affected.

They play an important role in improving sociocultural life, religion, politics and democracy, human rights and gender relations.

Indonesia is among the few countries in the world with a Muslim-majority population that is fortunate to have many vibrant civil society organizations and groups. They play an important role in improving sociocultural life, religion, politics and democracy, human rights and gender relations.

In the past, civil society was limited to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and the world of volunteers. Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum in The Future of Civil Society (2013), provides a more inclusive coverage of civil society. According to Schwab, civil society includes advocacy NGO groups; professional organizations, such as workers and teachers; and mass religious organizations.

ANTARA FOTO/HAFIDZ MUBARAK A

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Agus Rahardjo (center), former KPK vice chairman Mochammad Jasin (second left), KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah (far left), chairman of Muhammadiyah’s Youths central executive board Virgo Sulianto Gohardi (second right) and Indonesian Legal Roundtable deputy director Erwin Natosmal Oemar(far right ) as well as a number of members of the Anti-Corruption Civil Society Coalition hold a press conference at the KPK building, Jakarta, Tuesday (5/6/2018). The Anti-Corruption Civil Society Coalition oppose the inclusion of an article on corruption in the Criminal Code bill because it is considered to weaken the KPK in eradicating corruption.

Indonesia is rich in all three categories of civil society. However, what is very distinctive in Indonesia are religion-based civil society organizations. They have generally developed since the colonial period – long before the proclamation of Indonesian independence on Aug. 17, 1945.

One of the largest religion-based civil society organizations in Indonesia is Muhammadiyah, which on Nov. 18, 2020, commemorated its 108th anniversary. “Muhammadiyah\'s path of dedication" in the life of the nation-state is very broad and long (Kompas, 18/11/2020).

Muhammadiyah, Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), which was founded on Jan. 31, 1926, and other Islamic organizations throughout the country have become the backbone of Islamic moderation. Adhering to wasatiyyat Islam, the middle way of Islam, their role is very important in facing the threat of transnational Islamic extremism from the Middle East and South Asia.

Also read: Recession of Democracy

Initially, these Islamic organizations were engaged in da\'wah (preaching), education and social sponsorship. This was the safest move during the colonial period because it did not interfere with the Dutch colonial status quo. Their role in these fields was very vital when the colonial government ignored the inlanders (pribumi).

Civic culture and civility are important prerequisites for the growth of a dynamic and consolidated democracy.

In the course of history, civil society organizations have also played an important role in sowing a civic culture that fosters civility. Civic culture and civility are important prerequisites for the growth of a dynamic and consolidated democracy.

The prominent Indonesianist, Robert Hefner, has studied the relationship between Islamic-based civil society and democracy. Hefner concluded that Islamic-based civil society has played an instrumental role in developing an Islamic civilization that is compatible with democracy so that Indonesia can be successful in the transition from authoritarianism to democracy.

Civil Islam continues to grow and strengthen thanks to Islamic civil society organizations that are inclusive, accommodating and tolerant. Islam-based civil society goes hand in hand with religion-based civil society of other religions to build a democratic, progressive and highly civilized and noble Indonesia.

ABK

Azyumardi Azra

This is one of the legacies of religions in Indonesia. Religion-based civil society, with its resilience, can continue to contribute to maintaining democracy. Apart from that, it keeps trying to advance the nation through various praxis. Also, it always supports citizens and the community with activism and philanthropic dynamism.

AZYUMARDI AZRA, History professor, Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN) Jakarta; Member of the Cultural Commission of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI)