A safe journey home

Every year, at around the time Ramadhan comes to an end, millions of Jakarta residents begin packing their bags to make the annual pilgrimage to their native towns and villages.

Once there, they experience the joy of Idul Fitri, or Lebaran (an Indonesian term meaning " to mark the end") of the month-long fasting period prescribed by Islam, in the company of their closest friends and family.

Unlike Idul Fitri, which is celebrated by 1.2 billion Muslims the world over, albeit under a different, usually Arabic name, mudik is an ancient tradition specific to the Indonesian archipelago, which takes place in the days before.

It, too, is cherished by millions of Indonesians -- so much so that the spectacle of unruly crowds, jostling and pushing each other at ticketing windows for scarce seats, is a common one.

This annual exodus from the cities back to the small towns of one's birth in the country's hinterlands is known is not without controversy, however.

Although traditional people insist that returning home to visit one's relatives is a must, others view it as a waste of time, money and energy. A trip to the post office, or a simple telephone call, they say, could do the trick.

True, the mudik tradition puts a heavy strain on the country's deficient transportation and creaky infrastructure -- along with the government and the private sector. In short, the tradition is one contemporary Indonesia could do without, so say these "modernists."

Indonesians more appreciative of convention, on the other hand, defend this tradition as vehicle for a more equitable distribution of wealth in a country known for a yawning chasm between its haves and have-nots. Of course, renewing ties with old friends and relatives is a benefit, too.

Rather than engaging in useless debates over this time-honored tradition, common sense dictates that people, inside and outside the transportation and travel industry, should do what they can to ensure a safe trip for those who undertake the journey.

One reminder seems appropriate, though. Recent bombings and threats of violence throughout the archipelago lately must serve as a warning for everyone -- particularly law enforcement officials assigned to look out for the travelers' safety.

Spoilsports, in other words, should not be allowed to ruin the mood of joy that accompanies Lebaran and mudik.

We would like to wish all those fortunate enough to take part in this year's festivities a safe journey home -- and back.