JAKARTA - Civil Society Watch (CSW), as the community group was called by Ade Armando. CSW was established to help keep community groups from becoming healthy forces in democracy, Ade explained the purpose of the group's establishment. How is this logic? Who needs more scrutiny in a democracy that is at its lowest point today? Society or authority?
The appearance of CSW was announced by Ade Armando via uploads on his Twitter account, @adearmando1, Monday, June 7th. The post received heavy criticism from the wider community. Seen from the comments column, various critical and skeptical narratives were voiced. They questioned Ade's group's authorization to oversee civil society. Others view that CSW will become a reporting agency that will actually harm democracy.
"When buzzeRrp instituted itself," wrote human rights activist Veronica Koman.
"Everywhere NGOs (CSOs) and mass media are formed to strengthen the position and protect the rights of civil society from the unequal & elitist monopoly of public (state) policies from the authorities. Here there are even those who claim to be part of the CSO but their job is to supervise civil society, not ruler," tweeted the Coordinator of the Public Interest Lawyer Network (Pilnet) Erwin Natosmal Oemar with a laughing emoji.
"Wow, congratulations, mas @adearmando1, we are waiting for this. Are Pancasila Youth and FBR included in the group that will be monitored? Please confirm, this is for accountability to the public (laughing emoji)," Erasmus Napitupulu, Executive Director of the Institute for Criminal Justice Reform.
"People supervise the community only in fascist and communist totalitarian regimes. What must be monitored is the government because it has power that has the potential to be abused by power holders," wrote former Chairman of the Judicial Commission Aidul Fitriacida.
Komnas HAM Commissioner Beka Ulung Hapsara also tweeted, "The main task of civil society (organizations) is to supervise state (institutions), including us at @KomnasHAM so that they carry out their mandate properly. Not to be another supervisor."
What did Ade Armando say?We are Civil Society Watch. We are here to help keep NGO groups, NGOs, mass media, mass organizations as healthy forces in democracy. pic.twitter.com/Z3zsFp00D5
— ade armando (@adearmando1) June 5, 2021
When contacted by VOI on Monday, June 7, Ade Armando denied that Civil Society Watch (CSW) would become a reporting agency. He said CSW would work to accommodate complaints about the work of NGOs, mass media, and mass organizations. The results of the complaint, said Ade, will be published.
"CSV tries to help in two ways. On the one hand, CSW supports positive civil society steps. On the other hand, CSW also monitors civil society movements that can be categorized into behaviors that will actually harm the interests of the Indonesian people. We will report these findings. publish," said Ade.
We asked about the meaning of the category that is detrimental to the interests of the people. Ade answered: NGOs or mass organizations that blackmail certain parties. NGOs spreading black campaigns without empirical evidence. Media that spreads radical ideology, and so on.
Regarding many people's concerns that CSW will become a 'reporter' group that threatens democracy through criminalizing freedom of expression, Ade said: We do not threaten freedom of expression. We don't have any authority. We operate on an ethical, not legal, level.
It's better if Ade Armando is rightAde Armando better be right. Indonesia's democracy has shrunk too much, and was even declared flawed in a study. The report released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) noted that Indonesia's democracy index in 2020 was at its lowest point in the last 14 years.
Indonesia is ranked 64th in the world, with a score of 6.3. Even though Indonesia's ranking is still in the same place, the score has decreased compared to last year: 6.48.
With this achievement, Indonesia is categorized as a country with a flawed democratic condition. The Democracy Index is a report that has been regularly compiled and published by the EUI since 2006. Its purpose is to measure the state of democracy in 167 countries in the world.
In Southeast Asia, Indonesia ranks fourth, behind Malaysia, the Philippines and Timor Leste. Meanwhile, the world country with the highest democracy index is Norway which scores 9.81. After Norway there are Iceland (9.37), Sweden (9.26), New Zealand (2.25), and Canada (9.24). Meanwhile, the country with the lowest score is North Korea.
According to the report, globally the world democracy index has indeed declined compared to last year. The average world democracy index score this year was recorded at 5.37, a decrease from the previous: 5.44.
This figure is also recorded as the lowest average score since the EIU released its annual report in 2006 ago. From the scores achieved, the EIU classifies countries into four regime categories: full democracies, flawed democracies, hybrid regimes, and authoritarian regimes.
There are five indicators that the EIU uses to determine a country's democracy index. Some of the indicators include the electoral process and pluralism, government functions and performance, political participation, political culture, and civil liberties.
In Indonesia, the EIU gives a score of 7.92 for the electoral process and pluralism. Meanwhile, the function and performance of the government is assessed with a score of 7.50. As for political participation 6.11, political culture 4.38, and civil liberties with a score of 5.59. Another unique feature of this report is the impact of COVID-19 on freedom and democracy in the world.
"The pandemic confirms that many rulers have become accustomed to excluding the public from discussions on pressing issues of today, and shows elite government, not popular participation, has become the norm," said Joen Hoey, author of the EIU report.
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