Low level of moral awareness

Low level of moral awareness

From Pikiran Rakyat

Exchanges of fire between soldiers of the Indonesian military and police mobile brigade members in Sampit, Central Kalimantan some time ago were attributable to the very low level of moral awareness on both sides.

In a situation of grave concern, everybody should be able to keep themselves under control. This is especially the case with members of the military. In situations of civil unrest, they are very much needed and must show impartiality in their attempt to placate the belligerent parties.

As a law-enforcing apparatus, they must perform this noble task with great sincerity and with a view to uniting our fellow countrymen (the Madurese and the Dayaks) who have been embroiled in communal clashes. It is unbecoming of these members of the military to demonstrate ruthlessness, when, in fact, they should actually be upholding the dignity of the nation. Their involvement in exchanges of gunfire with members of the police mobile brigade was a great embarrassment and set a very bad example

Hopefully, inter-ethnic clashes and all other acts of ruthlessness and evil will quickly disappear from this country. The tragedy in Sampit has hurt everybody and cheapened the value of humanity.

We must all learn to be mature and stop acting childishly. Stay away from arrogance, fanaticism and egotism. The greatest war a human being will ever wage is a war against his own desires, not the Badar war.

MAMAN R

Garut, West Java