Nobody wants a revolution<\/p>\n
No doubt many people overseas, when they read about Indonesia,
\nbelieve that this nation is headed toward a \"violent upheaval\".
\nLet us lay aside the sensationalist headlines for a while and
\ntake a realistic look at our present situation.<\/p>\n
Not a single Indonesian I know about, in or out of the
\ngovernment, believes that the answer to our country's problems is
\nthrough a bloody revolution. The university students presently
\nholding on-campus demonstrations are pressing for reforms and
\nchange, but not to the point of leaving Indonesia in ruins.<\/p>\n
Few Indonesians want to -- and I believe never will -- emulate
\nthe volatile, violence-prone extremists in such global
\nflashpoints as the Middle East, Sri Lanka or Northern Ireland.<\/p>\n
Megawati Soekarnoputri, generally known as the \"opposition
\nleader\", has gone on record as saying her late father, former
\npresident Sukarno, would never forgive her if any action of hers
\nresulted in Indonesia's dismemberment.<\/p>\n
The other prominent critic of the government, Amien Rais, is
\nmore a reformist than a radical. Former environment minister Emil
\nSalim is likewise a benign personality, even with his insistence
\nthat changes must take place.<\/p>\n
Relatively isolated riots, independent of one another, can
\nindeed make headlines, but they have not been on a truly
\nnationwide scale. What happens in impoverished towns in East Java
\ncan only marginally have a ripple effect on fishing villages in
\nthe Moluccas. Indonesia is not the size of a Manhattan borough in
\nNew York City.<\/p>\n
I would like to remind readers of the Beatles song Revolution.
\nAlthough John Lennon in some ways sympathized with the Irish
\nRepublican Army, he also stated clearly in that tune: \"But when
\nyou talk about destruction\/Don't you know that you can count me
\nout.\"<\/p>\n
I tend to believe the vast majority of Indonesians feel the
\nsame way.<\/p>\n
FARID BASKORO<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/nobody-wants-a-revolution-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }