Coping with international pressure

Coping with international pressure

Reality shows that Indonesia is no match for the big powers, either in terms of its economy, politics or military might. And, do not forget that we do not have, and never have thought of, building a network to handle world opinion. On the contrary, it is we who always become the target of world disapprobation.

Unfortunately, it is in such an imbalanced situation that we are trying to boost our sense of nationalism. Obviously there is nothing wrong with this, since nations do need causes to bind their sentiments and emotions together.

However, the kind of nationalism that is boosted by working on emotions, as we are currently observing in connection with East Timor, is poisonous and wrong. We must maintain the good sense to distinguish the kind of nationalism that is pure and rational, from that which is the product of manipulation for the short-term only.

That is why this newspaper never tires of reminding all of us, but the Armed Forces in particular, not to let the East Timor problem fester for too long. The state of emergency there must be lifted as soon as possible. East Timor must be handed over to the United Nations as soon as possible -- if necessary without waiting for the People's Consultative Assembly to convene.

(President) Habibie, you still have a chance, however tiny, to win back your lost points.

-- Media Indonesia, Jakarta