By: Baehaqi Rizal

It has been 27 years since the May 1998 tragedy shook Jakarta and marked the end of the New Order regime. Yet, the wounds of history remain far from healed.

Not only because the perpetrators of gross human rights violations have never been brought to justice, but also because the spirit of reform, fought for with blood is now slowly being eroded by power compromises and elite greed.

The core aspiration of reform was to dismantle a deeply unjust system, both politically and economically.

The State of Democracy Today

Today, however, we witness worrying symptoms: the entrenchment of economic-political oligarchy, the increasing restriction of civil liberties, and the erosion of legal authority when faced with the powerful.

We may no longer see tanks in the streets or torture in interrogation rooms, but repression now takes subtler forms: digital silencing, the hijacking of state institutions, and the criminalization of activists.

This condition directly echoes what happened in 1998. At that time, economic inequality, unemployment, and social injustice fueled public outrage.

The Silent Demobilization of Democracy

Today, although the situation may not be as extreme, inequality and social anxiety are once again on the rise. If left unchecked, history may repeat itself, albeit with different forms and different victims.

What’s more alarming is that democracy is undergoing a process of “silent demobilization.” The people are not banned from speaking, but their voices are ignored. Criticism is not entirely silenced, but deflected or labeled as subversive.

Electoral processes continue, but have become increasingly elitist and pragmatic. This raises a serious question: Is our democracy truly maturing, or merely becoming a cosmetic façade?

The commemoration of May 1998 should serve as a warning. We must not become a nation with historical amnesia—one that remembers only the climax, but forgets the root causes.

Democracy cannot survive on ceremonies and slogans alone. It must be constantly guarded, especially when those in power no longer see the need to be criticized.

Reform is far from finished. And if we remain indifferent, we risk inheriting nothing but the rubble of a once-great vision won with courage and paid for dearly by the victims. (***)

Author Biography

Full Name: Rizal Arif Baihaqi

Nickname: Baehaqi Rizal

Date of Birth: October 25, 1987

Education: Social Utility Camp Kazano (SUCK)

Organizations:

• Intelligent Crew

• Young Ages Laboratory and Research

• Academy of Environment and Tourism

• Bond and Convivial School

• Cultureconomic Foundation