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| Southeast Asia |
| ICMI Scorns IMF, Warns of Foreign Domination |
| 2002-07-08 |
| The Association of Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals (ICMI) warns that certain nations are trying to control Indonesia through âunscrupulousâ aid programs and says the government must review its dealings with the International Monetary Fund. "Association of Indonesian Muslim Intellectuals" sounds like it should be a contradiction in terms, but that's probably just me... ICMI, which was set up in 1990 to contain Islamic opposition to then president Suharto, issued the warning on Monday at the conclusion of its three-day national conference in Serang, West Java. ICMI chairman Adi Sasono, who has long been accused of corruption, expressed concern that Indonesiaâs prolonged multi-dimensional crisis had brought the nation close to a complete loss of dignity. âThis is evidenced by the decreasing respect of other nations and international institutions toward Indonesia of late," he was quoted as saying by state news agency Antara. Poverty is not the antithesis of dignity. Difficulty is not the antithesis of dignity. Foolishness is... Analysts say Indonesiaâs image abroad is lousy simply because it has failed to curb rampant corruption and improve law enforcement. Sasono said fundamental changes must be made to improve the nationâs sense of dignity and free the Indonesian people from âforeign dominationâ. "Foreign domination" isn't the antithesis of dignity, either. See above. He said certain countries are trying to control the Indonesian state and system through their âunscrupulousâ aid programs. "Goddamn you! Take these groceries!" From what I've seen of most NGOs, they manage to combine treacly good intentions with either outmoded Marxism or some other kind of agenda. Except for the ones who try to trade groceries for nubile young maidens or boys, of course. "We start to realize ourselves that as a nation we are being led to what I would call Aboriginism, namely a new form of neocolonialism." He was referring to the fate of Australiaâs indigenous Aborigines, whose primitive nomadic society underwent sweeping changes following the establishment of a British penal colony in 1788. It was terrible. Infant mortality rates dropped, they started eating regularly, and everything. An entire culture â pffft! Sasono said Indonesia had to a certain extent lost its freedom due to its âtotal dependenceâ on the IMF, so the government should weigh up the pros and cons of the financial assistance arrangement. And the donors should weigh the pros and cons of actually sending cash, because he's right: it never seems to make a difference in the long run, does it? The only thing that really works is for-profit business and industry. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |