'Foreigners are honorable guests'<\/p>\n
Following a recent anti-U.S. demonstration, radicals attempted to
\nintimidate, or forcibly expel three Westerners and others have
\nannounced a unilateral boycott of American products in response
\nto the U.S.-led military attack on Iraq. The people trying to
\nexpel the Westerners were caught in the act by the police and
\narrested in Jakarta. The Jakarta Post talked to some city
\nresidents about these issues.<\/p>\n
Tashari, 35, is a taxi driver who resides in Ciganjur, South
\nJakarta with his wife and two children:<\/p>\n
I think the war in Iraq is just useless since it will never
\nresult in an appropriate solution but rather, it will only bring
\nabout extreme dislike from all sides.<\/p>\n
If certain radical groups intimidate foreigners, I'm sure it
\nis absolutely wrong since it will simply come to nothing.<\/p>\n
The foreigners are our honorable guests in our country, so why
\ndon't we treat them with respect? They are just innocent people
\nlike us who probably don't agree with the war either.<\/p>\n
Offending other human beings based on the color of their skin
\nand boycotting products will only damage our country,
\nparticularly in terms of the economy. Besides, why should we
\nworry about the U.S. and its allied forces that are waging war in
\nIraq? The war is actually none of our business.<\/p>\n
I wonder why so many people are just wasting their energy to
\nstage these useless rallies and even resorting to intimidation of
\nour guests here.<\/p>\n
Worse still, their extreme actions will just remind others in
\nthe world that they are making a religious issue out of all this,
\nand that is their main goal. I just do not see how this war has
\nanything to do with anyone's religion. I mean, not a single world
\nreligion teaches its followers to commit violence.<\/p>\n
I just hope that the war will end soon. Otherwise, I will bear
\nthe economic impact, as my income is already dropping. It's hard
\nnow for us to get passengers, particularly foreigners, especially
\nafter nightfall, because people, both local and foreign, are just
\nnot going out, or the tourists have all left. It's now very tough
\nfor me just to meet my daily rental fee of Rp 95,000.<\/p>\n
It would be far better to concern ourselves more with how we,
\nas a country, can survive in our daily life rather than stressing
\nabout someone else's war or problems.<\/p>\n
Kristanto, 31, is an employee of an international institution
\nin Kuningan, South Jakarta, who lives in Setiabudi, South Jakarta
\nwith friends:<\/p>\n
This war is just a harsh way to kill and destroy each other
\nand nobody will benefit from it.<\/p>\n
Perhaps it's one way for the U.S. to promote its sophisticated
\nweaponry while hoping that such a show of force will entice other
\ncountries to buy their war hardware. Anyway, it is actually the
\ninternal business of the governments involved and absolutely none
\nof our business.<\/p>\n
So, I strongly oppose the idea of boycotting all U.S. brands
\nin Indonesia. It is certainly an irrational and overly emotional
\nresponse.<\/p>\n
Like it or not, we should admit that we depend greatly on
\nforeign trade. We get loans from foreign countries, our exports
\ngo there and in return, we also consume the imported goods from
\nthere.<\/p>\n
Boycotting the products will just result in a devastating
\nbacklash for our country and its development, because it means we
\nwill not be able to buy or use computer products from the U.S.
\nSounds crazy!<\/p>\n
The same idea goes for intimidating Westerners. That is even
\nmore stupid. That would just unleash a new type of war and they
\nwould lose the moral high ground. The people at the rallies who
\nshout about peace and humanity would just be total hypocrites. It
\nmeans all their antiwar shouts are just bulls--t! What's the
\ndifference between the war they are protesting and the war they
\npromote?<\/p>\n
As an employee who works with some expatriates, I feel bad for
\nthem if they are treated so poorly in our country. I myself feel
\na bit worried too. Some of the people I worked with left the
\ncountry for America a couple of days ago. But, I try to think
\nmore rationally, reminding myself that it would really not be
\npossible for Megawati to cut diplomatic ties with the U.S.<\/p>\n
Lyla, 29, is a housewife residing in Cilincing, North Jakarta
\nwith her son and extended family:<\/p>\n
I disagree completely with the war and I am concerned if
\ninnocent civilians are victimized by war.<\/p>\n
I don't care about the troops on either side, as their job is
\nto fight in wars on the battlefield and they are paid for that.<\/p>\n
The intimidation or raids on foreigners here is just one of
\nthe many ridiculous ideas of the uneducated, jobless people who
\nare paid to be thugs at rallies on the street, and pretending to
\nprotest the war.<\/p>\n
I would even have to say that their jihad makes no sense at
\nall. Why do they have to manipulate religion in such a way for
\ntheir own advantage? I guess there are certain motives behind it.<\/p>\n
There is actually no difference between a common criminal thug
\nand those who take part in raids against people from different
\nethnic backgrounds. The foreign residents here have nothing to do
\nwith the war and might also be against it.<\/p>\n
Boycotting American products would even be a far more stupid
\nidea, if I may say. Those fools who are saying such things should
\njust go live in the jungle where modernity is out of their reach.<\/p>\n
Do they not realize that even their toothpicks are probably
\nstill imported from foreign countries!<\/p>\n
-- Leo Wahyudi S<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/foreigners-are-honorable-guests-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }