Nation of minions

Indonesia had been called a nation of minions before the country got its freedom in 1945. The allies also dubbed the legendary figures, Sukarno and Hatta, as Japan's lackeys. Establishment of the Jakarta-Beijing axis, resulting in the outbreak of the G30S/PKI communist movement, led to Dr. Subandrio being labeled a Chinese underling.

Gen. Soeharto was also called the CIA's underling as he succeeded in eradicating the G30S/PKI movement with the blessing of the CIA, while Prof. Habibie was labeled a Western puppet because he managed to get Western junk products into Indonesia and have them marketed here.

Even Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid was considered Israel's lackey because he intended to establish diplomatic ties with Israel, while Indonesians despise Zionists. Megawati, Hamzah Haz, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Matori and Yusril are now labeled U.S. underlings because they do not allow their citizens to perform their religious obligations by joining a holy war in Afghanistan.

These are facts, not opinions. Yet, unlike the labeling of Sukarno and Hatta, today it is Indonesians themselves that have labeled their leaders, as a reflection of the political bickering at home.

Obviously, those labeled as U.S. underlings will deny those allegations. But people will not believe these denials. Indonesians, particularly Muslims, have become increasingly aware that many Islamic leaders in this country do not act in an Islamic manner.

In this context, I simply wonder when our country may raise its status from one of underlings to that of heroes. Muammar Khadafi of Lybia, Fidel Castro of Cuba, Aslan Maskadoff of Chechnya, the late Hitler of Germany, the late Mao Zedong of China, the late George Washington of the U.S.A., Osama bin Laden and many others have gone down in the annals of mankind as heroes not underlings.

Isn't it better to be the king of ants rather than the tail of an elephant? As a king of ants, very small as you may be, you are free to go anywhere, but as the tail of an elephant, though bigger than an ant, you must go wherever the elephant goes. Let this be a point for us all to ponder.

SUKANTO

Jakarta