Let the people decide

I have read a report in The Jakarta Post of Oct. 19, 1998 on the demonstration staged by workers of PT Indorayon at the office of the North Sumatra governor and now wish to write the following:

Until now the solution to various problems arising between the local people and PT Indorayon in Porsea has never been based on the people's wishes. In other words, the voice of the people has never been used as the main frame of reference in making decisions that concern the people's interests. This condition has prevailed for years with the result that substantial losses have been inflicted on both sides and that the people's dissatisfaction and resentment has but mounted. In the meantime, the root cause of all the problems remains.

This condition can be interpreted in two ways: (a) PT Indorayon has, indeed, never bothered with the people's interests or (b) "prompted by a certain factor", PT Indorayon has been compelled to ignore the people's voice/interests.

In my opinion, the wisest thing to do now, instead of making mutual accusations, is to make all interested parties (the people, the company and the government) realize that they should earnestly allow the people to speak about their rights and interests.

This means that the people must be encouraged, without being restricted and intimidated, to determine their own representatives for a negotiation with all parties, particularly PT Inti Indorayon Utama.

If all parties that have until now always "claimed" to be parties with the greatest stake in this matter allow the people to determine who will represent them in voicing their interests, whatever will later be decided by the people must be final in nature and must be honored by all parties.

In the context of PT Indorayon-related problems, we, in the present era of reform, must have confidence that the people, with their existential experiences, are capable of determining what they really need. Just a slight indication of any fabrication contradicting popular wishes will only make this problem more complicated and more protracted.

May the final solution to this problem benefit the people.

DR. SABAM JMT SIMATUPANG

Observer of Indorayon issues

Samosir, North Sumatra