A Letter to Bina Swadaya Community

TONY LEDESMA(1929-2009), MAN OF DIALOGUE:
The Power of Networking
by Bambang Ismawan
In the 40th anniversary celebration of Bina Swadaya, a book entitled Menuju Indonesia Swadaya (Towards Self-Reliance of Indonesia) written by Eka Budianta was launched.  We found in it a figure named DR. ANTONIO L. LEDESMA (80 years old) – the Philippines.  He was one of 7 figures who greatly impacted the development process of Bina Swadaya.  The others were, amongst others, Father Djikstra, Prof. Mubyarto, Prof. Sajogyo, Mr. Soepardjo Roestam, Father Melchers and Tony Fernandes (Netherlands).  They communicated intensely and within a quite long period, while respecting Bina Swadaya’s vision-mission and endeavours.
On Wednesday (18/3) morning at Wisma Hijau when I dropped in on my way to attend a meeting held by Ministry of Home Affairs on the Draft of Law on Civil Society Organizations, Siska, my secretary, informed an email from CENDHRRA (Center for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Asia): “Tony – nickname of Dr. Ledesma – has passed away”.  Rationally, the sad news was just logical following frequent information from Angelita, his wife, within the latest four months that Tony’s health was getting worse. However, the sad news still surprised me. I spontaneously decided to make a visit of condolence and asked Siska to check his funeral arrangement and prepare my travel arrangement to Manila.
Why did Tony Ledesma contribute prominent role for the development progress of Bina Swadaya?  Being urged by the Indonesian government in 1973, all farmers organizations (15) including Pancasila Farmers Association (IPP) as hybrid of Bina Swadaya, were forced by Indonesian Government to unite in The All Indonesian Farmers Association (HKTI). The IPP’s activities were then continued by Bina Swadaya Foundation, formerly named Yayasan Sosial Tani Membangun (Peasant Socio-economic Development Foundation) being established with IPP in 1967.  This drastic change was not planned so that it was potential to shake the existing organization.
The problem was how to implement effectively the idea of IPP as a mass organization aimed at empowering its members spread out in rural areas throughout Indonesia in the form of Foundation?  There was not any experience yet; further, while the government’s pressure for the centralization process was getting pressing, 5 headquarter leaders of IPP winning as members of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) had been so much decreasing in their interest in the grassroots development. Under such situations, the founder of IPP, Father Djikstra was moved to the Philippines.  The young Bina Swadaya needed a new orientation.
The movement of Father Djisktra, perceived as a problem before, turned to be a blessing.  Playing role as Secretary of SELA (Socio Economic Life in Asia), a Jesuit organization in Manila, Father Djikstra, assisted by Tony and Angelita, held a monumental workshop supported by Misereor on human development of Asian rural people. The three weeks workshop was held in Bangkok attended by 120 participants as a learning arena for the Asian development activists.  The greater benefit of the workshop was its action plans or follow-ups.
CENDHRRA was then established, managed by Tony and Angelita Ledesma, both are extraordinary persons graduated from the highest educational level in the United States of America holding PhD degrees, each in Psychology and Sociology.  They had stayed and taught in some universities in America and Canada for tens years and enjoyed a prosperous living until they got an ‘accident’. The ‘Accident’ was their meeting with John Djikstra when they came back to Manila for vacation in 1973.  They had great enthusiasm to contribute to their country and Father Djisktra offered them to devote their commitment and expertises to the Asian grass root development.  I figured the dialogue was so interesting but cordial and they all became winners.  It was proven that they had become an excellent team with excellent team performance.
The initial follow-up program was CENDHRRA Integral Rural Development (CIRD) Workshops held within 3 years.  It covered 6 workshops in different countries attended by about 30 persons each from East Asia and Pacific, corresponding with the themes chosen by the country representatives: rural productivity, role of religion and culture, training and education, rural youth, rural employment and well being family.  The themes were filled and enriched with different field experiences of the participants and inputs from the experts distinctively invited, to be reflected together.  Each participant took benefits based on their contextual needs.
Bina Swadaya was very active as participant and organizer to make use of the great events. Each country was expected to have a secretariat functioning as facilitator of the movement process and joint learning.  Indonesia was the earliest country establishing an institution that inspired other   countries. The institution was named INDHRRA – Indonesia Development of Human resources in Rural Area – or in Indonesia it is also called Sekretariat Bina Desa (SBD).  For about 7 years Bina Desa’ office was at the office of Bina Swadaya, even in the first 3 years all the main personnel positions of Bina Desa were hold by Bina Swadaya’s personnel.  I often assumed the situation that Bina Desa took off from a jumbo jet called Bina Swadaya that was flying in the sky.
Further interaction was built from 1980ies up to 1990ies when I was selected as Advisor of CENDHRRA. I attended annual meetings for evaluation and planning and represented CENDHRRA in series of meetings organized in different countries. The togetherness has helped to open my horizon and ways of thinking and develop international relations very valuable for the development progress of Bina Swadaya.
CENDHRRA is a prominent knot for development in rural Asia with the perseverance of Tony and Angelita in developing dialogues by organizing many meetings, workshops, lectures, discourses, seminars, etc.  AsiaDHRRA has given the most appropriate nickname: TONY LEDESMA, MAN OF DIALOG in the memorial description shared in the funeral house in Manila, personally I added a subtitle THE POWER OF NETWORKING.  Angelita said, the passing away of Tony has reunited their old friends, so that the sorrow has turned to be happiness and gratitude.
Good bye Tony, rest in peace.
Bambang Ismawan