To list the fellow journalists, the academics, the politicians, the officials, the diplomats, and others who have helped me over the course of my working life to understand Indonesia—or at least to think I understand it—would require a book in itself. Many contributed unknowingly in encounters and gatherings over recent years to the background of this book. But as I put together this snapshot of Indonesia as it moves through the second decade of this century, the following individuals responded promptly and helpfully.
Peter McCawley, Christopher Manning, Asep Suryahadi, Satrio Budihardjo Joedono, and Bambang Ismawan were my guides through economic issues. James Castle, Gene Galbraith, Shoeb Zainuddin, Patrick Alexander, Henry Heinz, Donald Greenlees, Geoffrey Gold, Christopher Flanagan, and Daniel Horan were informed and wise advisers in the labyrinth of commerce and resource extraction. In Australia, Marcus Meitzner, David Reeve, Tim Lindsey, Adrian Vickers, and Vanessa Stearman were ready reference points on political and social trends, as were, in Jakarta, the old hands Tim Scott and Dennis Heffernan, while Agus Widjojo spoke frankly about military reform.
In Surabaya, Leak Kustiya, the editor in chief of Jawa Pos, took a day to show me around this vibrant city, while Rohman Budijanto and his team at the media group’s Institut Pro-Otomi briefed me on regional government. As always, my journalist friends in Jakarta were superbly informed and lucid. Among them, Sabam Siagian, Ati Nurbaiti, Warief Djajanto Basorie, John McBeth, Yuli Ismartono, Lin Neumann, Michael Bachelard, Karuni Rompies, and Otje Soedioto gave me their insights and opened their contact books. Dewi Fortuna Anwar, Adi Sasono, and Ilham Habibie gave me their time to discuss the role of Muslim intellectuals. Andreas Harsono, of Human Rights Watch, and Sidney Jones, of the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict, briefed me on human rights issues, as did Sayid Iqbal and Simon Field on the role of organized labor. On environmental questions, particular help came from Muslim Rasyid, of Jikalahari, and Susanto Kurniawan, of the Elang Foundation, both in Pekanbaru, and from Chandra Kirana, of Daemeter in Bogor. Damien Kingsbury gave me introductions to Mohammed Nur Djuli and Shadia Mahaban, who told me their gripping stories of the Aceh conflict and peace process. In Jayapura, the governor of Papua, Lukas Anambe, gave me a long midnight interview at the end of a busy day. The Papua region police chief, Tito Karnavian, gave me a long and frank briefing on security issues, while valuable insights on Papuan sentiment came from Neles Tebay, Paul Mambrasar, Manfred Naa, and Frits Ramandey. In Sydney, Peter King and Jim Elmslie helped with the latest scholarship on this troubled region.
Rizal Sukma organized a room and a visiting fellowship for me at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Jakarta, which became my base for research. Three of the founders of the CSIS—Harry Tjan Silalahi, Jusuf Wanandi, and Klara Juwono—were as informed, incisive, and outspoken as they were during my first years in Indonesia. Lina Alexandra deftly organized the logistics of my CSIS stay between her own research. I thank them all.
At the Australian National University, Andrew MacIntyre and Andrew Walker at the College of Asia and the Pacific allowed me the flexibility to mix my book research with writing and editing, and I was supported by James Giggacher and Belinda Cranston of the college’s media unit. Nadjib Riphat Kesoema, Indonesia’s ambassador in Canberra, Gary R. M. Jusuf, consul general in Sydney, and their staff were helpful in making arrangements, as were Siti Sofia Sudarma and her team at the Information and Media Directorate at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta. Ambassador Greg Moriarty and his staff at the Australian embassy were also most supportive. Julian Welch, my editor at Black Inc., worked with great skill while the rest of Australia was enjoying the summer break; his editing and suggestions resulted in a much improved book. My wife, Penny, held the fort at home in Sydney during my long absences on research trips, and I thank her too.
The accuracy of all the content of this book and responsibility for any errors remain at the feet of the author, however, and it is always wise to recall the old Jakarta saying: “Anyone who thinks he understands the situation is sadly mistaken.”