Max Lane Indonesia Southeast Asia and International Affairs

FRIDAY, JUNE 19, CHICAGO

http://socialismconference.org/speakers.php?conf=Chicago#maxlane

Indonesia's Elections a Decade After Suharto: The Elite-Mass Gap, Human Rights, and Mass Movements from Below

Speaker: Max Lane

6:30 pm, Wednesday, June 24th

At the Peace Pentagon (339 Lafayette Street), Manhattan, New York

Free (Donations Encouraged!)

Sponsored by the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (www.etan.org)

This summer Indonesians will elect a new president. More than a decade after social movements forced the ouster of the notoriously corrupt and ruthless president Suharto, the Indonesian political system is still systemically corrupt, and human rights violations are still routine. Presidential and vice presidentail candidates have overseen and been directly involved in major violations of human rights in East Timor as well as Aceh, West Papua and elsewhere. There is a major gap between elites and the social movements organizing from below. Social movements in the nation continue to push for basic land rights, labor rights, and respect for human rights.

The Indonesian General Elections Commission has not yet completed counting all the votes in the April 9 elections to the national parliament and scores of local assemblies. However, some things have become clear. There was a very high level of voter abstention, a phenomenon already evident in many elections for provincial governors during 2007-08. Most of the polling and survey organisations put abstention — those who did not register or who registered but did not vote — at 40%, up from 30% in 2004 and only 7% in 1999. In addition, there are widespread anecdotal reports of deliberate informal votes, which will probably increase the abstention rate to at least 45%.

April 27: Talk on the politics of workers movement in Indonesia as part of panel organized by the Alliance for Independent Journalists and the Alliansi Buruh Menggugat at Indonesian Legal Aid Institute, jakarta, Indonesia..

May 19: “Pramoedya in Southeast Asia”. Centre for Southeast Asian Social Studies, University of Gajah Mada.

June 6: Participation on panel on impact of global crisis, with speakers from Indonesia, Mauritius and the USA. Sydney, Australia. Time and venue announced soon.

June 19: “Indonesia After Suharto”, Socialism 2009 Conference, Chicago, USA

July 1: “Literature, Memory and Social Movements: Indonesia 2009”, International Institute for Research and Education (IIRE), Amsteram, The Netherlands

The official election campaigning period for the Indonesian national, provincial and district legislatures started on March 1 and will last until April 5. There is supposed to be a three-day period of non-campaigning immediately before the April 9 elections. Some 100,000 candidates from 44 parties are standing for seats in national, provincial and district legislatures.

Parties, or coalitions of parties, that win at least 112 seats in the 560-member national parliament or 25% of the popular vote may nominate candidates for the powerful presidency, to be elected in July. If no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote then, there will be a run-off in September.

LIST OF PUBLICATIONS (provisional)

Books and monographs

1. UNFINISHED NATION: Indonesia before and after Suharto, VERSO Books, 2008
2. Bangsa Yang Belum Selesai: Indonesia sebelum dan sesudah Suharto, Reform Institute, Jakarta, 2007
3. Liber Amicorum 80 Tahun Joesoef Isak , collection of essays edited by Max Lane and Bonnie Triyana, published by ISAI, Komunitas Bambu, Perkumpulan Praxis, July, 2008
4. Wedastera Suyasa, 1945-72 in Bali: from charismatic politics to socio-educational activities, Universitas Mahanedratta, Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, January, 2009
5. Arok of Java, by Pramoedya Ananta Toer, translated and with an Introduction by Max Lane, Horizon Books, Singapore, 2007
6. The Chinese in Indonesia, by Pramoedya Ananta Toer, translated and with an Introduction by Max Lane, Select Books, Singapore, 2007
7. Social Sciences and Power in Indonesia, edited by Vedi Hadiz and Danial Dhakidae, published by Equinox Books, Jakarta, Indonesia, published in 2006. Tranbslated from the Indonesian by Max Lane
8. The Urban Mass Movement in the Philippines, 1983-1987, Australian National University and Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 1990.
9. Openness, political discontent and succession in Indonesia: political developments in Indonesia, 1989-90, Nathan, QLD, Australia: Griffith University, 1991.
10. This Earth of Mankind, by Pramoedya Ananta Toer, translated and with an Introduction by Max Lane, Penguin Books, 1996 (USA Edition)
11. Child of All Nations, by Pramoedya Ananta Toer, translated and with an Introduction by Max Lane, Penguin Books, 1996 (USA Edition)
12. Footsteps, by Pramoedya Ananta Toer, translated and with an Introduction by Max Lane, Penguin Books, 1996 (USA Edition)
13. Glass House, by Pramoedya Ananta Toer, translated and with an Introduction by Max Lane, Penguin Books, 1997 (USA Edition)
14. The Struggle of the Naga Tribe, by Rendra, University of Queensland Press and St Martins Press, New York, 1978, translated and with Introduction by Max Lane.