Just an appeal

It cannot be denied that students have changed the political history of the Republic of Indonesia more than once.

In 1965, after the failed coup d'etat, students appeared on the streets with ABRI and managed to topple the government of president Sukarno. Soeharto became the second president.

Everything went well until power corrupted the minds of the power holders and they began to act contrary to the established practices of democracy, while greed and power slowly conquered their minds, conveniently making them forget Indonesian democracy and Pancasila. The president became an unproclaimed dictator and corruption, collusion and nepotism flourished.

Supported by an impotent legislature and the People's Consultative Assembly, the actions became bolder and bolder, until one day the students felt it had gone too far. With great courage and dedication they took to the streets in the thousands, shouting for reform. Again these students managed to change history and the second president stepped down to make way for his successor, Mr. B.J. Habibie.

But the students continued demonstrating and demanding that real steps be taken by the new government to implement reform.

These demonstrations have been going on for months now, but the situation has not improved.

I would like to appeal to our brothers, the students, to start thinking about a new strategy to bring about change. Demonstrations involving thousands should be stopped. There is no further need for students to demonstrate in great numbers, because the goal of the demonstrations are understood, accepted and supported by the whole population. Public support is not going to change or lessen.

But daily huge demonstrations can create a situation nobody wants. Traffic becomes congested, which causes problems for commuters and distribution chains and adversely affects the retail sector as reported in The Jakarta Post on Sunday, Nov. 29 on its front page. This is certainly not what the students want.

Huge demonstrations leave the students vulnerable to infiltration by people out to exploit the situation and creates a situation where the students are blamed for all kinds of disturbances. It also creates a gap between law enforcers and the students, making them suspicious of each other, which is exactly the aim of these infiltrators.

Smaller groups of demonstrators, consisting of 50 to 100 people, would prevent infiltration. A small number would carry the same message, because the message is already known and wholeheartedly supported by all. Demonstrations by smaller groups would remind people that reform is still going on and the demands still exist.

With this kind of demonstration, traffic, the transportation of people and commodities would return to normal because no roads would be blocked. Small traders could continue their business, schools could open again and law and order would return.

It would also have a positive psychological influence on law enforcers, who have been on the alert for months now and are under considerable stress. Lack of sleep and proper rest, irregular meals and forced separation from their families is not easy to bear.

Fortunately certain groups are advocating an end to violence, and a return to law and order.

Please find ways and means to return to normalcy and perhaps help concentrate on finding a solution to the soaring prices of vital commodities and help to restore law and order so that Indonesia will again become a country famous for its political and religious tolerance and a country of hospitable, charming people. May God grant our wishes.

SOEGIH ARTO

Jakarta