Gus Dur's sweet victory

As I was sleeping I dreamed that I heard President Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid laughing loudly. He was reading an article in The Jakarta Post March 1, 2001, Page 1 Gus Dur urged to cut short overseas trip.

Why was he laughing? Why was Gus Dur so happy? It was caused by what he read: "Calls mounted on Wednesday for President Abdurrahman Wahid to cut short his overseas trip and immediately return home to settle the communal clashes in Central Kalimantan".

I dreamed Gus Dur looked at the mirror and said, see now, the Indonesian people and their leaders know who the real leader is. Without me, nobody can settle problems and bring peace to those communal clashes. They want me to step down, to give way to other more capable leaders. What a laugh! Students and other organizations have demonstrated against me, but in their hearts they still say: Gus Dur, don't go. We need you.

Now Central Kalimantan is on fire and despite the presence of Megawati, Yudoyono, Widodo, etc., they can do nothing. My strategy is working and the people reluctantly have to admit that I am the savior of the nation. Of course I will go back, but in due time, to show that Indonesia is at a standstill in my absent.

What a sweet victory and a harsh lesson for the other leaders in Indonesia.

"You still need me," Gus Dur would say, "although you don't literally express it in words, but your desperate call for me to return is proof of your incapability to settle things. Stop crying, and don't behave like kindergartners. Daddy will be back soon. Don't worry, I will come back, from Saudi Arabia with love."

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Jakarta