UNAIR NEWS – To commemorate the history of youth’s struggle against the New Order regime, Universitas Airlangga and the Aldera Book Reader Community held a guest lecture and book review of Aldera’s Portrait of Youth Political Movement 1993-1999. This book review activity was held at the Ternate Auditorium, 1st Floor, ASSEC Tower UNAIR Building, on Tuesday, April 11, 2023.
Dr. Pius Lustrilanang S IP MSi CSFA CFrA as the keynote speaker and the initiator of Aldera’s book expressed his gratitude and complaints in writing the book. “I am grateful that this book was published after 25 years of reform. It was difficult to write this book because I had to remember 30 years ago,” he said.
At first glance, the book tells about the youth movement against the New Order regime, which was too authoritarian. The movement of youths spread across several cities, especially in the Java region.
“This book tells about the resistance of youths in several cities. Which cities make up Aldera? Jakarta, Bandung, Bogor, Garut, Tasikmalaya, and Cianjur, in their fight against the New Order regime led by Suharto, is the essence of this book,” explained Pius.
Aldera or the People’s Democratic Alliance, is one of the youth movement organizations, especially anti-authoritarian students during the New Order regime. It took them approximately 20 years to bring down the Suharto regime until May 21, 1998.
Pius, also member VI of BPK RI since 2022, said that even though their struggle was successful during the New Order era, authoritarian seeds still exist in the current era. The seeds of authoritarianism include the extension of office, postponed elections, and three terms of office.
World political conditions
This activity also invited a lecturer from the Department of International Relations UNAIR Ahmad Safril Mubah SIP MHubInt PhD. He conveyed three important periods related to world political conditions in understanding Aldera’s book.
First, after World War II, the occurrence of decolonization in Africa and Asia underwent a transformation into a democratic system. Second, the Cold War period, the application of democracy, such as elections and several movements in the world. Third, the Post-Cold War period, the spread of Neoliberalism to the world, including in Indonesia.
Apart from that, the lecturer in International Relations also said that today’s communication is different from then when you had to meet face to face. For this reason, students can currently use social media to coordinate movements but still need to filter out spreading information.
Youths as Agents of Social Change
Dr. Listiyono Santoso SS MHum also gave his argument regarding this Aldera book. He said Indonesia’s contribution was the fruit of the youth’s struggle. It is from these youths that social change can take place.
“Out of hundreds of students, there is a small group of people who talk about its nation, Budi Utomo is one of them,” said Listiyono.
Listiyono, Vice Dean I of the Faculty of Humanities, said that Aldera’s book could strengthen the history of students’ roles. Because of the role of students as actors in social change, Indonesia has experienced many changes.
“Change in Indonesia will never be possible without involving educated students,” concluded Listiyono. (*)
Author: Muhammad Fachrizal Hamdani
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
