Police of the world
When Columbus sailed for America a few centuries ago, he and the Indians would have only grin if told that one day, high above, hiding in the clouds, there would be something called a World Police spawning from the newly discovered America.
Now even, Pak Harto, Fidel Castro and the leaders of China, India, Pakistan, Yugoslavia, Iran and Iraq cannot afford to ignore its penetrating eyes. The Jews and Arabs have their own experience, too.
This World Police, also nicknamed Uncle Sam, has at its disposal a number of submarines, spy planes and missiles, including nuclear warheads, not to mention the most modern and mighty aircraft carriers.
The slightest human rights violation will not pass unnoticed and unpunished; initially by diplomatic persuasion, followed by pressure and the like. A short time ago, two warships owned by Uncle Sam were spotted in the waters off Bali. The timing was suspiciously close to the student demonstrations and rioting in Indonesia.
World Police agents are very well informed of the events and aspirations of groups led by Emil Salim and Amien Rais. They may want to suggest that presidential terms be limited to two and that presidential elections be conducted directly by the people, no longer through the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) to avoid chantage (blackmail) and undemocratic processes.
Luckily, statesmen like Bill Clinton still show compassion, though politically motivated, to the debt-ridden government and people of this once-proud and free country. He may also note that many former generals who once honestly fought for independence have turned into shrewd politicians who rarely mean what they say and do not say what they mean. After all, truth and fairness usually side with the powerless and the poor.
The World Police, now monitoring every breath of this country's leader, gives no more freedom of movement to the establishment to maintain the status quo, urging a sort of national reconciliation and a broader basis of government or reshuffle of the cabinet.
The students would do wise to entrust henceforth their aspirations to the Council of People's Message, FORUM and newly awakened members of the MPR and the House of Representatives who still possess a sense of crisis and are willing to listen to their conscience.
The World Police, I am sure, is pleased to hear that the ruling Golkar has welcomed any dialog on reform through constitutional channels. It still has to agree to convene a special session of the MPR to discuss it.
The Hour of Truth may be near, so the students had better stop demonstrating, at least until we no longer hear Frank Sinatra's song I did it my way sung by members of the first family or by the man behind the gun himself.
I venture to suggest that if you want to live in seclusion as a pundit you'd better start as young and as clean as possible by humbly discarding worldly consideration, including constitutional stumbling blocks. To a holy and astute man, one more critical voice means one more stain. One more dead, one more sin.
GANDHI SUKARDI
Jakarta