Old attitudes die hard

Colonialism's nostalgic upholders, being short of sound topics to justify a despicable and overbearing historical period, are having to yield to untenable excuses.

For instance, Mr. Cookson (July 22, Colonizers that bad?) tries to convince us that in Pakistan people hope for the return of colonialism only because, a few years ago, a hotel member of staff, after having received a "friendly remark" from Mr. Cookson, pronounced the following historical words: "We wish you were back."

Well, I only hope that Mr. Cookson didn't forget to give that old fox a generous reward. Personally, I hold all judges in high esteem and so I do Mr. Cookson's father, but I cannot avoid considering in a negative way the "colonial judges" sent to colonized countries with the task of lavishing full acquittals or strokes of the cane, in line with colonial laws.

While on the one hand I'm sure that those judges undertook their duties with dignity and a sense of justice, on the other hand I cannot tolerate that any human being can be judged according to foreign laws manipulated by colonial rules.

Could Mr. Cookson remind people "in the name of whom" the colonial judges used to pass their sentences?

Regarding Marshall's letter (July 23), nobody doubts that nowadays English is useful for communication and commerce but if I were Marshall, I wouldn't emphasize the matter too much.

Somebody might wonder "how" it happened. By the way, sic stantibus rebus, (so being the thing), I believe that if the use of the English language represents a choice, it's acceptable, but if it becomes a conditio sine quanon for surviving, it has to be considered an odious interference with other people's lives.

PIERO RONCI

Jakarta