A word of warning

A word of warning

Student demonstrations on campuses have caught the public's
attention both domestically and abroad.

Many people in the country sympathize with students' feelings
toward the high cost of living as, after all, most of us are in
the same boat.

While admiring the young generation's ability to voice their
ideals, there is also a concern that they may take their protests
to the street.

Although students consider themselves cultivated, there
remains concern that they may be influenced by others and the
rallies may turn to chaos.

The following is a true story which I recently heard from a
friend who was caught in the midst of a riot, which happened some
years ago.

The riot occurred three months after this friend first came to
work in Indonesia.

It was very unfortunate that on that particular night she had
dinner at the Hilton Hotel. When she came out in her car from the
hotel, the traffic on the road leading to Jl. Jendral Sudirman
was immobilized by a huge crowd streaming out from a Senayan
concert.

On the spur of the moment, a young person climbed on top of a
car and started to jump from one car to another. The drivers'
timidity and connivance encouraged the crowd to join in the fun
and soon uncontrollable damage was wreaked on the cars.

In short, the crowd completely destroyed my friend's car. Her
husband, who was hit when rocks came flying through the smashed
windows, ended up with a broken rib and head injuries.

They made a difficult decision to abandon the car and flee the
scene on foot.

My friend's husband wiped his own blood all over her face
before stepping out of the car, and this might have been the
factor that saved them from being harmed further.

Once they were in the open, hundreds of hands were on them and
all their possessions were taken. My friend, trembling and
helplessly surrounded by the mob, protected her head with both
arms and was waiting for the verdict from a bunch of strangers.
In the end, they were let go after one of the mob took pity and
asked the others to spare them.

When they finally reached the nearest hospital, the emergency
room was full of people with similar experiences and injuries.
The doctor was too busy to even wait for the anesthetic to take
effect before he started stitching up the wounds.

Riots are not news to many Indonesians these days. But its
victims often feel indignant not only over the financial loss but
also the unjust humiliation, not to mention those who pay with
their lives.

One victim of a shop rampage recalled that when he watched
decades of hard work and devotion turned to ashes by merciless
raiders his despondence, over the satanic nature of human beings,
was beyond repair.

If students bring their protests to the street, they must
prepare themselves for the worst scenario that may happen.
Outside influences, whether voluntarily, incited by others or
organized by a third party, may join and attack members of the
public and damage private property for their own purposes.

If this happens, the students will be blamed for the action
and lose the respect and support of a sympathetic public.

CHEN HSUEH CHUANG

Jakarta