On demonstrating

I refer to Mr. Derek C. Seagrove's letter of Jan. 9, 1999 "Why do we have to have demonstrations."

I am a student, and I have participated in and will continue to participate in student demonstrations until our demands have been met.

He stated that the students have yet to "form a Committee to put forward their common aims". I feel that our "aim" is quite clearly stated in our rallies, and I will say it here once again: Change. Our aim is total, unblemished change. Change means "movement" from one place to another, and in this case, from the not-so-good Old to the better New. The Reformasi (reform) that the Habibie government has fabricated is not the "change" that this nation wants, and desperately needs. It does not take a Committee to voice our concerns and simple demands, so the question is what will it take for them to listen to us?

Mr. Seagrove also stated that "anything would be better than the demonstrations which do little good, and which stop Jakarta's ordinary citizens from going about their normal business"; and by that I assume he means blocked roads, traffic jams, etc. which in consequence leads to missed appointments, late rendezvous, whatever.

Let us be mindful of the fact that the entire population of Jakarta does not even come close to one-tenth of the nation's population. I should hope that there are a few remaining residents of Jakarta who are willing to sacrifice their lost appointments for a cause that obviously addresses issues concerning the whole nation. More importantly, I should hope that there are never more than a few residents of Jakarta who are ignorant enough to wish to "go about their normal business" at times when the state of the nation and its people are quite abnormal.

He suggested a "meeting". He hoped that no one would "put forward their ideas parrot-fashion and then refuse to take part in a debate thereafter". I find this statement very amusing, in all its childlike innocence (or ignorance?). How is one to discuss, or negotiate, let alone debate, a way out of a certain problem with the exact source of the problem itself? How are the students expected to present their ideas for change to the very people who do not want the change to happen? Mr. Seagrove clearly admitted himself "attempts by various student protesters to hand in petitions to the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)... were not successful". Guess what, Mr. Seagrove, no such attempts by anyone have ever been successful. That's not the way things work in our country. You should be glad you're hearing it from me because many people I know learned it the hard way.

That's why we have to take to the streets. We do not belong in a conference room with a four-star General trying to buy time and PR points with stale promises. We do not belong in the MPR building because we have no faith in a Representative system that fails to represent the needs and voices of the people. We do not belong in our classes because this situation is the ultimate Test of our capacity as intellectual human beings.

Demonstrations do not "do little good", Mr. Seagrove. History, all over the world, has proven that marching in the streets for a certain cause is not a waste of time. You pointed out that "this is the month of Ramadhan, a month of peace and goodwill". I am asking you to think beyond traffic jams and missed appointments, and see the peace and goodwill that is the mission that truly lies within our movement.

ADINDA SIMANDJUNTAK

Jakarta