A war of colors<\/p>\n
Colors are loaded with emotion, or so psychologists and
\nartists tell us. And whether or not we are aware of it, artists
\nand decorators regularly use this emotional power to evoke
\ncertain emotions or to create or enhance the ambiance of a
\ncertain place.<\/p>\n
We are afraid, however, that there is nothing artistic about
\nthe controversy that broke out last week in the Central Java city
\nof Surakarta (Solo) over what color public buildings and
\nfacilities should be. On the contrary, the controversy appears to
\nbe about something that is of much greater national significance
\nthan merely a difference in tastes.<\/p>\n
The \"war of colors\" began in the normally placid Javanese city
\nwhen activists of the local branch of the United Development
\nParty (PPP) swarmed around the central city square -- the Alun-
\nAlun -- to repaint yellow public buildings, trees and other
\npublic facilities white. The United Development Party and the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party (PDI) are the two minority parties
\nwhose existence is recognized by the government.<\/p>\n
But why, one may ask, would the local administration spend
\npublic money to paint trees and public buildings yellow in the
\nfirst place? The local authorities argued yellow is the color of
\nthe city's mascot, a bird called kepodang. Last year in
\ncelebration of Indonesia's golden jubilee as an independent
\nnation, the trees and buildings were painted yellow.<\/p>\n
But yellow, of course, is also the color of the ruling
\npolitical group Golkar. Last year the yellow paint did not only
\ntouch Surakarta but stretched across many other Javanese towns
\nand cities. Although many jokes have been made of the incident,
\nthe \"yellowization\" campaign in Surakarta appears to have taken a
\nmore serious turn.<\/p>\n
The mayor of Surakarta has threatened to take legal action
\nagainst the PPP activists unless they restore the newly
\nwhitewashed trees and buildings to their former yellow color. The
\nlocal party activists have not only said they would gladly go to
\ncourt over the matter or face imprisonment, they have received
\nthe support of Central Java's provincial board of the party.<\/p>\n
According to PPP's Surakarta Secretary Zainal Ma'arif, 143
\nlawyers from Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung and Bogor have made
\nthemselves available to party members if or when they have to
\nappear in court over the issue. Unrelated groups and members of
\nthe community have also taken up the PPP lead and have repainted
\nyellow facilities white. Elsewhere in Central Java, other PPP
\nbranches have said they would do the same.<\/p>\n
At this point the authorities concerned should be strongly
\nadvised to let wisdom and calm judgment prevail. To a casual
\nobserver all this may seem like a comedy, some kind of theater of
\nthe absurd that is being staged for us as a run-up to the general
\nelection. In fact it appears to us that the Surakarta \"war of
\ncolors\" could yet be another manifestation of a tendency that
\nappears to be growing in our midst -- a willingness to oppose
\nwhat is felt as unjust.<\/p>\n
We are afraid that with the current mood prevailing in our
\nsociety, a stubborn clinging to the legality of power on the part
\nof the authorities could be easily interpreted as arrogance. The
\npossible consequences of this are difficult to imagine after the
\noutbreaks of unrest we have experienced in the past months.
\nBesides, it is not difficult to believe that an unremitting
\ncampaign by any of the three contestants well before the allotted
\ncampaigning time could backfire. It is well to remember that
\npower and force are no longer the omnipotent tools that they once
\nwere to persuade people.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/a-war-of-colors-1447899208",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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