Jogjakarta & Its Changes 

The decrease of public areas in Yogyakarta, sooner or later, will give impact to the people, not to be social beings, but to be more individualists. One factor is due to the lack of place and forum to exchange ideas, to communicate, or to gather without any social structure boundaries, which bring them into their own solitaire world.

People also have changed many places into commercial areas, even those places may become indicators from which class the visitors come. It is such worrying thing for some communities nowadays. Community of Social Movement Institute (SMI), Stube-HEMAT, Tribun Jogja, and Toga Mas Affandi, held a book’s discussion forum so that youth may gather, communicate, and exchange ideas among them.

In that occasion Selo Soemardjan’s book entitled “Perubahan Sosial di Yogyakarta” become the discussion topic. Held on February 19th 2018, at Toga Mas Bookstore, Gejayan, Yogyakarta, this program presented some speakers, Eko Prasetyo (initiator of SMI), Elanto Wijoyono (from Warga Berdaya Yogyakarta Community), Anna Marsiana (Organization Development Consultant at CSS BfdW), and Hening Wikan (Student of Social-Politic Faculty of UGM) as the moderator.

Elanto explained that changes in Yogyakarta can be seen from any points of view, and it still becomes a question nowadays, whether those changes already happened in Yogyakarta after era of revolution or not as written in the book. It hasn’t any definite answer until now.

According to Anna Marsiana, Yogyakarta isn’t only a city but also a dynamic process, gathering place of any aspects, any different kinds of society’s element. There are 3 aspects that must be highlighted to see the changes, they are (1) historical aspect, (2) Society movement map respond to faster dynamic, and (3) the function of each person.

At this occasion, Eko Prasetyo described the process of social changes after colonialism and Left Movement. At that time, the success of social revolution’s ideas is very in demand. It was also a phenomenon that three exist big political parties at that time were dominated by Left Movement. Observing the last parts of Selo Soemardjan’s book, one will find many theoretical advices. They declared that social changes process occurred because of outside stimulant change. When capitalism community comes and they don’t want to obey the prevailing system, they are the one that bring social changes in Yogyakarta. It triggers an extreme social gap in Yogyakarta.

At question and answer session, Rintar, a citizen of Jogja, asked, “Is the special territory of Yogyakarta supporting the traditional system or it should be modified?” Another question came from Rafit, a citizen of Jogja, “Do the changes happen automatically or it is done by someone and actually who holds the sovereignty?”

Based on those questions, Elanto said that village authority nowadays is no longer traditional, but it has been rational, however some changes are planned and some others are unplanned. Ana responded those questions by stating that traditional system is no longer the main reference because village regulations open opportunities for all of citizens to give ideas and opinions, so those changes may be monitored and planned.

At the last statement, Eko Prasetyo quoted Selo Soemardjan’s writing, “When citizens aren’t capable to satisfy their social needs, then they become commercial and competitive citizens. Therefore, we need persons who concern with such problems. Let’s bring back this city of students having critical, courageous, and progressive characteristic.

While Elanto persuaded every youth of this city to exchange ideas for every problem. Furthermore, Ana concluded with the recognition of diversity which becomes the foundation of Yogyakarta since the beginning, and this situation is accommodated by many parties. Every youth coming to this event were invited to face and interact with reality, then to improve it. Don’t feel when we made a social statement through social media, we have made social changes. (ITM)

(Thanks to SMI for helping some photos)