Dealing with tension

Even as the political climate continues to rise, President (Abdurrahman) Wahid is planning to give a speech to make peace. The hope is that such a speech can ease emotions among both his supporters and adversaries. Taking the overall context into account, one should not suspect the President's intentions in advance. If indeed the speech can calm the situation, it naturally deserves to be accepted.

It is a fact that practicing democracy is not as easy as merely talking about it. One needs to be honest, fair and judgmental in the way one looks at differences. What is currently happening should be seen as a learning process. No longer can the average Indonesian be seen as backward and ignorant.

This newspaper is convinced that if all the parties involved can exercise restraint and are willing to try to understand each other, no trouble of any kind will occur. It is all right to be apprehensive, but let's not overdo things.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta