Where did the Concept Start Tribal Demokcracy
Here is the beginning of Tribal Democracy to be expressed in modern form (written form). The
The idea to explain this model of democracy came out when someone asked me:
- What do you want to do with a free and independent West Papua? You just want to set up yet a new nation-state instead of Indonesia?
- What can you tell me so that I know that this cause is worth supporting: globally and locally?
I told him, “Yes, we are going to set up a new country in this end of 20th centur, which means we are not going to repeat the mistakes done when setting up new nation-sates in this and previous centuries. We are going to have a model of demokcracy that will invite all human beings int he world to come and see, and if possible, learn.”
He further asked, “I know what you mean, you are going to set up tribal governments? I think that idea will alarm a lot of people and most of them will want to get a far as possible from that kind of idea.”
I then told him, “You are just commenting before giving me chance to answer your question.” Then I continued, “This model we are proposing is not a “tribal model of democracy” or “tribal democracy” according to Western perpepectives. This is based on our own perspectives about ‘tribe’, ‘tibalism’, ‘life’, ‘death’, ‘government’, ‘leadership’, etc. We are talking about a democracy of all communities from beings, by human beings, for all communities of beings. That makes this model is different. That makes a model coming from tribal peoples ourselves is different. We are not loooking at democracy per se as modern people see it.”
This short conversation which explanded into a big debate is the seed of proposing this idea.
