De Jong responds<\/p>\n
Referring to Mr. Wasmuth's letter (The Jakarta Post, Sept.
\n29). First of all, to set things right, The Jakarta Post
\npublished my letter without my knowledge or consent. Using a
\nfacsimile is a quick way of communication which is why I
\ncorresponded by fax. My letter was not intended to start
\narguments about opinions. However being done that way, how do you
\nknow whether or not I am of `pribumi stock' (primitive indigenous
\npeople)? Actually what do you understand of the word `pribumi?'
\nThere are about 50 ethnic groups in Indonesia who make the
\n\"oneness and greatness\" of the Republic of Indonesia. I have the
\nfeeling that I am not one of the one percent (about 1.9 million
\nof Indonesians).<\/p>\n
Your remark about primitive people reminds me of a certain
\nEuropean country, where a group of people did obtain the power to
\nrealize their \"solution\" for \"indigenous primitive\" people and
\nothers considered undesirables. To add to your knowledge: over 85
\npercent of the Indonesian people, above the age of ten years do
\nread and write. Hundreds of thousands do read English. Thousands
\nupon thousands have furthered their education in foreign
\ncountries, for which they had to learn English better than you or
\nme. It would be a poor show and a financial disaster for The
\nJakarta Post if they only have \"expatriates\" as subscribers.
\nAgain I challenge you to give an objective explanation about
\n\"colonialism.\" You for certain must read Resolution 2200A (XXI)
\nof December 1966 of the United Nations.<\/p>\n
A further thought: thousands of Indonesians even have foreign
\nfamily names!<\/p>\n
Responding to Mrs. Sumarsono (The Jakarta Post, Oct. 3). Yes
\nMrs. Sumarsono, I do know about all the things that happened (and
\nstill happens). I abhor the idea that a certain nation or race
\ncan subject another nation or race to such things.<\/p>\n
My own brother was killed in the late days of World War II
\nbecause of his nationality and race and yet he was not bearing
\narms. And please read Multatuli's Max Havelaar.<\/p>\n
At no time did I mention \"the good old colonial days.\"<\/p>\n
I do know that \"native\" Rajas, sultans and their families
\ntreated their subjects as slaves. And I know that Java certainly
\nhad a very high culture in the period when they were still
\nwearing skins in Europe and were bashing each others \"brains\" out
\nwith stone tools.<\/p>\n
I would like to discuss your opinion further. We can discuss
\nthe hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of Indonesians used by
\nthe Japanese in World War II and who died, or the millions killed
\noutright by the Germans, or the depopulation of Cambodia by the
\nKhmer Rouge (and the war is still going on). I doubt you get a
\n\"kick\" out of the mediocre Indonesian \"war\" movies, even in view
\nof your sorrow and anger about facts in the past. Please read
\ntoo, the brave articles by eminent Indonesians published in this
\npaper.<\/p>\n
Over 80 percent of Indonesians are farmers. They have very,
\nvery low incomes. The government is trying within its means to
\nhelp. But even the farmers' bright children are disadvantaged
\nbecause they do not have the money to pay for the education,
\nwhile \"big bellied\" (any color) powerful men who earn billions of
\nrupiah are humiliating their own `bangsa' (people).<\/p>\n
In response to Mr. Aloysius Haryono (The Jakarta Post, Oct.3),
\nanger \"sounds\" through his reply, for which I did not ask (the
\nreply). Javanese people are well known for their politeness.
\nHowever, there was no inkling of it in his published letter. It
\nis dood neer vallen. In simple English \"drop dead.\" Yes, Pak
\nHaryono, I am well read, foremost on objective facts. I have
\nlearned one thing: not to measure yesterday's mistakes by today's
\nstandards.<\/p>\n
Why is it, Pak Haryono, that you think that two questions do
\nnot deserve to be answered? Is it that this too is a part of your
\ncondescending attitude? How about the fact that Indonesian
\nindependence was won by political means, by \"colonial\" educated
\nIndonesians? How about today's Laws (including Hukum Adat)?<\/p>\n
Capt. R.W. DE JONG<\/p>\n
Bogor, West Java<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/de-jong-responds-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }