On national reconciliation

The meaning of reconciliation as referred to by Gen. (ret.) Abdul Harris Nasution became clearer when, by way of illustration, he said that peace should be made (by the government and the national leadership) with the group of Ali Sadikin and the students.

It may be concluded that the kind of reconciliation which the former chairman of the People's Consultative Assembly has in mind involves those groups in our society which hold a critical view of the government and the New Order and are inclined to convey their criticisms in an offending manner. This affects relationships, including personal relationships.

In the context of our past and as we look towards the future it is worth the effort to give the concept of reconciliation a broader and more all-embracing meaning as we mark the 50th year of Indonesia's independence.

We should rejuvenate the ideas of the founding fathers of this Republic, freshen the vision and ideals which are contained in the preamble and in the entire text of our Constitution, renew the great ideas of our great leaders such as Sukarno, Mohammad Hatta, Sutan Sjahrir, HOS Tjokroaminoto and others. Actually it is their ideas that form the basis of our Constitution.

-- Kompas, Jakarta