After emerging from decades of single-party rule in 1998, Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has become a symbol of freedom in a region that recently has been slowly sliding away from democracy. Today, Indonesia's story is that of reformasi, or a spirit of reform. After enduring a troubled, violent separation, the culturally distinct province of East Timor is now free. The insurgent Free Aceh Movement has signed a cease-fire with the central government. And, in 2004, the country's first direct presidential election brought Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono into office. This year, Freedom House upgraded Indonesia from "Partly Free" to "Free" in its annual evaluation of civil liberties and political rights. The archipelago's neighbors, though, have been sliding. Recent events have pushed several Southeast Asian states further from democracy. Country-by-country, what President Bush has called "freedom's advance," appears stalled.
Amid Southeast Asia’s Slide, Indonesia’s Importance Grows
