Circumventing unrest<\/p>\n
Controversies involving ethnicity, religion, race and\/or
\ncommunity groups (SARA), are, as we all know, sensitive issues in
\nIndonesia. According to the minister of defense and security, a
\ncloser look would reveal that in the whole Southeast Asian region
\nsuch issues are never far from the surface. Similar problems have
\neven cropped up in industrialized countries as a result of
\neconomic regression and growing unemployment.<\/p>\n
The already touchy SARA issues could become even more
\nsensitive when fueled by widening economic disparities. Under
\nsuch circumstances people who are normally rationally inclined
\ncould lose their ability to reason. People could become
\nincreasingly inclined to vent their sentiments and would no
\nlonger act rationally. At that stage, which the minister of
\ndefense and security described as a \"stagnancy of reason\", people
\nare easily tempted to look for scapegoats.<\/p>\n
Given all this, according to the minister, the only way out is
\nto improve the economy. Naturally the problem is not merely to
\nensure economic growth, but to see to it that this growth is
\ndistributed fairly and evenly. One thing that must not be
\noverlooked is that eliminating disparities is not a job for the
\ngovernment alone. All parties who are in a position of economic
\nadvantage, whether they be formal institutions, organizations or
\nindividuals, should also lend a hand.<\/p>\n
-- Pikiran Rakyat, Bandung<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/circumventing-unrest-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }