Indonesia will shine again
Congratulations on your 16th anniversary. I also would like to congratulate you on your journey toward a civil society (The Jakarta Post, April 25, 1999).
Your quotation from John Lennon's Imagine is very appropriate. I am also a dreamer. I dream that in the not too distant future, Indonesia will again be prosperous and become a civil society once more.
As a Javanese from the little village of Ganung, East Java, I would say: Pasir wukir loh jinawi, tata tentrem kerta raharjo, meaning from the mountains to the sea, the land is fertile, the country is peaceful and prosperous.
Your choice of the gunungan visual is also appropriate in many ways. The gunungan signals the start of a new chapter of the wayang (puppet) stories. In our case, it should signal a new beginning for our beloved country. You pictured many gunungan, so we will have many new happenings in present day Indonesia. Hopefully, this coming election will be the start of a new government, with new approaches to the economy, the financial sector, the government, education and social welfare.
The gunungan itself can also serve as a model for the country. The building (the country) requires strong foundations and pillars to guarantee its strength and durability. The two guardsmen represent the Armed Forces, who are guarding the entrance to the country against enemies from other lands. The naga dragons are mother earth or nature, sustaining life and prosperity for us all.
The banteng or wild bull is ready to keep away the always hungry murderous tiger. The people, represented by monkeys and birds, are living and working together in peace and harmony. They are, however, always aware of evil and trouble, brought about by Kala the bad giant and the serpent. Two birds are on top, meaning that no single person has absolute power over the land. Deliberations and mutual consultations are apparently the way of life. I continue to dream that one day Indonesia will shine brightly over its surrounding lands.
DJOKO SOEJOTO
Bandung, West Java