Democracy, Human Rights, and the Role of the International Community. These and related questions were addressed at a workshop hosted by the Asia Program on January 17, 2001. In general, all the panelists lamented the current situation in Indonesia, where public trust in the government is eroding and tension between Jakarta and separatist regions is growing fast. Todung Mulya Lubis , a human rights lawyer and practitioner from Jakarta, began the discussion with the poignant observation that while the Indonesian people are ready for democracy, many of their elites are not.
Democracy takes time.
I do share the disappointments that the international community may have. But I do not think it's fair to expect quick results. We don't want to return to the past. Lubis went on to maintain that pushing the Indonesian government too hard could cause it to crumble, thereby opening the door for a military comeback. Instead of exerting pressure, the international community must help to strengthen what has already been accomplished as a means of safeguarding against violence.