Language of truth needed

Language of truth needed

During a recent anti-government rally, one student leader
asked his fellows to recite a modified "Youth Pledge". One of the
clauses contained therein went thus: One Language, the language
of truth. It is not only students who want to know the facts, all
200 million Indonesians desperately want to hear the government
and their representatives in the People's Consultative Assembly
(MPR) speak the truth.

An American, Sandra Ferguson, said in her letter to The
Jakarta Post on Nov. 15 that she believed Gen. Wiranto did not
understand how serious the problem in this country was. Only a
few hours before shots were fired at Semanggi, he stated that
Jakarta was safe and under control. On Nov. 16, in a televised
apology for the Nov. 13 tragedy, President B.J. Habibie voiced
his earnest commitment to implementing the 12 decrees issued by
the MPR. Was that lip service?.

What the government should actually do is address the various
problems facing the country. A good place to start would be to
investigate the murders of witches and Moslem clergymen in rural
Java, and if that is not enough then there is always the myriad
cases of corruption, collusion, nepotism and human rights abuse,
not to mention the economic crisis.

If all these matters could be adequately resolved, I am sure
the people across the country would give their thumbs up to the
President because by then the language of truth would have become
a reality.

PARLINDUNGAN SIBARANI

Jakarta