Peace is beautiful

Peace is beautiful

From Media Indonesia

Banners carrying the phrase "Peace is beautiful" can be found in a number of strategic places across the capital today. These banners, erected by the army, are not only meant to be reassuring but also serve as a satire for the civilian political elite who are now deep in conflict.

Observing the present situation, now is the most opportune time to talk about peace. Ironically, peace, which is the dream nurtured by practically everybody, has now been sidelined. This happens when the civilian political elite are preparing the fiercest show of force couched in the most polite words. It happens when the situation becomes no longer controllable and when the civilian political elite have found it hard to build a common platform. This also happens when the military, who shoulder the task of going to war, have been sent back to their barracks.

Yet, this is where things become strange. Indirectly, the civilian political elite have adopted military terminology. At the beginning of the reform drive, the paramilitary symbol, represented by the university students' regiments, was abolished. Today, when groups of people practice militaristic behavior to achieve victory, peace has become the most beautiful word of all. When it is said by the right person, "peace" is a potent word that will ease all tension.

The army has seized this moment smartly by distributing posters and banners across the country carrying the motto "Peace is indeed beautiful."

On the other side, though almost too late, President Abdurrahman Wahid had made an appeal and at the same time an honest acknowledgement in his address before TVRI (April 27, 2001). He said that the Indonesian people were longing for peace and therefore he had called on "all parties to stop violence". A similar appeal was also voiced by the President during the recent mass prayer attended by thousands of members of NU at the Senayan Complex on April 29, 2001.

WASIS SUMANAH

Jakarta