Romo Mangun expressed fears for future in last interview<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): About two hours before he succumbed to a fatal
\nheart attack on Wednesday, scholar Y.B. Mangunwijaya talked about
\nthe state of the country, particularly the propensity to choose
\nviolence in venting frustrations.<\/p>\n
Speaking to The Jakarta Post, Merdeka and private television
\nstation TPI on the sidelines of a seminar at Le Meridien hotel in
\nCentral Jakarta, the priest better known as Romo Mangun feared
\nyoung people might reject the June 7 general election.<\/p>\n
\"I'm not a politician. But I think it's going to be hard...
\nvery hard to prevent (the young) from resisting the poll, because
\nelements of the New Order regime are the ones running the
\nelection.<\/p>\n
\"Golkar, the United Development Party, the Indonesian
\nDemocratic Party, they are all a product of the past. I'm afraid
\n(the election result) may not be accepted by the students and
\nyoung people here.\"<\/p>\n
He hoped the situation would remain calm but feared public
\ndissatisfaction over legacies of the Soeharto regime could boil
\nover into unrest.<\/p>\n
\"Let's hope (nothing bad) will happen, but will it (the
\nelection result) be accepted? Even the (current) House of
\nRepresentatives\/People's Consultative Assembly are the product of
\nthe old regime, so I think things will be difficult,\" he said.<\/p>\n
When asked to comment on Indonesia's decision to review its
\nstance on East Timor, the author of Burung-Burung Manyar (1981)
\nand Puntung-Puntung Roro Mendut (1978) said: \"I praise this
\ndecision of (President B.J.) Habibie's administration.<\/p>\n
\"Why should we hold on to East Timor? It'd be only a waste of
\nenergy and exhaust us.\"<\/p>\n
Set to turn 70 in May, the priest said Indonesia would avoid
\nbecoming a new \"imperialist\" state by letting go of the troubled
\nprovince.<\/p>\n
Mangunwijaya also lamented the situation of his fellow
\ncitizens, hobbled by economic woes and an uncertain political
\nfuture.<\/p>\n
\"Our people are now in their poorest condition, and violence
\nhas become everyday language and expression.\"<\/p>\n
He compared previous elections under the autocratic regime of
\nSoeharto with the multiparty poll held in 1955, the country's
\nfirst and widely considered the most democratic to date.<\/p>\n
\"In my recollection... in 1955 there were no clashes between
\nparties. Everybody tried to make jokes but the people were not as
\neasily offended. Now, people explode over the most trivial
\nmatters.\"<\/p>\n
He blamed the economic and political crises affecting all
\nlayers of society. \"I can only pray and contribute my thoughts to
\nthis country... hopefully people still listen.<\/p>\n
\"It may not be necessary to implement my suggestion (that
\nIndonesia should be changed into) a federal state, for instance,
\nbut it can also be a remedy to problems here,\" he said.<\/p>\n
His love of learning was evident in his hope for the promotion
\nof literature. \"I want books to be cheaper so everybody can read
\na lot more.\" (edt)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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