A safe journey home

A safe journey home

Every year at around the time when the holy month of Ramadhan
is about to come to a close, millions of Jakarta's residents
start packing their baggage to make the journey home to their
native towns or villages to share the joy of Idul Fitri, or
Lebaran -- a genuine Indonesian word which literally means " to
mark the end" (in this case, of the annual month-long fast that
is prescribed by Islam) -- with their closest friends and family.

Unlike Idul Fitri, which is celebrated by Muslims all over the
world, mudik is an age-old Indonesian tradition whose beginnings
are lost in time. And Indonesians by and large being devoted to
tradition, it is cherished by millions of Indonesians, both in
Jakarta and all over the country. Hence the yearly recurring
sight of throngs of people willingly jostling and pushing against
each other in an effort to get to the ticketing window first,
before the tickets are sold out.

However, this tradition of mudik -- as the annual exodus from
the urban centers back to the little towns and villages of one's
birth in the country's hinterlands is popularly known -- is not
without controversy. While traditionalists insist that coming
home to see and pay one's respects to parents or close kin is a
must, many modern city dwellers tend to see it as a waste of
time, money and energy at a time when modern mail may suffice and
a simple telephone call could do it in a matter of minutes.

Furthermore, the mudik tradition puts a heavy strain on the
country's inadequate public facilities and transportation means
and tests the managerial capabilities of all the government and
company officials responsible for the smooth proceeding of the
exodus to the limit. In short, it is a tradition that modern
Indonesia could very well do without, or so these "modernists"
say, so these "modernists" say.

Other modern Indonesians who are more appreciative of
convention, on the other hand, tend to be more understanding and
defend the tradition as a means, whether so intended or not,
towards achieving a more equitable distribution of wealth. Not to
mention renewing ties with old friends and kin.

Whatever the case may be and on whichever side of the debate
one may stand, one thing is clear: The mudik tradition is still
with us and will be with us for a long time to come. Rather than
continuing to engage in a useless debate about the merits or
demerits of this time-honored tradition, how much more helpful
would it be for all those who are responsible for the safe
journey of the millions of Indonesian who make the journey home
to make all the necessary preparations to make sure that all goes
well.

One reminder, though, seems appropriate. The recent bombing
incidents and threats of violence that have occurred in several
places in this country lately must serve as a warning for
everybody -- the security officials assigned to look after the
travelers' safety most of all -- to be on constant guard and keep
a watchful eye on any unusual goings-on they may observe. Don't
let spoilsports spoil the mood of rejoicing and fraternity that
Lebaran and mudik bring.

We wish all who are fortunate enough to be able to take part
in this year's mudik a safe journey home -- and back.