RI and U.S.
\nsimilarities<\/p>\n
Students and workers have taken to the streets in both
\nIndonesia and the United States.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, they originally protested the hikes in utility
\nrates and in fuel oil prices, but later they started demanding
\nthat President Megawati and Vice President Hamzah Haz step down.
\nIn the United States, they are protesting their government's plan
\nto attack Iraq.<\/p>\n
The students and workers in the two countries represent the
\ntaxpayers. In the U.S., tax revenues are spent on paying the
\nsoldiers to "kill" the Iraqi people. In Indonesia, tax revenues
\nare spent on, among other things, the payroll of the ruling
\nregime.<\/p>\n
In the U.S., the president can be forced to step down by means
\nof something like a special session of the People's Consultative
\nAssembly (MPR), as is done here in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Protesters in the U.S. believe their president, George W.
\nBush, is mentally challenged. In Indonesia, protesters believe
\nthe president and the vice president are insensitive to the
\npeople's sufferings.<\/p>\n
Students and workers in the U.S. realize that Bush may be
\nconsidered as having violated their constitution. The United
\nNations Declaration of Human Rights maintains the spirit of the
\nU.S. Constitution. So, if Bush attacks Iraq without a UN mandate,
\nit means that he has not only violated this declaration, but also
\nthat he has violated his own oath of office, disrupting the
\norganizational order of the United Nations as well as denigrating
\nthe dignity of several U.S. presidents (excluding Bush Sr.), such
\nas Truman and Roosevelt.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, super-political policies that do not take into
\naccount the people's sufferings will render meaningless not only
\nArticle 33 of our amended constitution, but also the presidential
\noath of office. Where, then, has the dignity of Bung Karno and
\nBung Hatta, the two leaders that proclaimed Indonesia's
\nindependence, gone?<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, many parties at home and abroad fail to notice
\nthat in both Indonesia and the U.S., policies drafted by the
\ngovernment have nothing to do with faith and resignation based on
\nthese nations' respective holy books. All are secular in nature.<\/p>\n
The irony is that the oath for a public position in these two
\ncountries is taken under a holy book.<\/p>\n
SUNGKOWO SOKAWERA
\nBandung<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-and-us-1447899208",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}