Politicians react to Soemitro's recent statement

Politicians react to Soemitro's recent statement

JAKARTA (JP): Gen. (ret) Soemitro's recent statement that the
generations since the 1945 struggle for independence lack
character met with strong reactions yesterday.

Soemitro, a former commander of the internal security agency
said on Monday that those born after 1945 were "pessimistic,
cynical, emotional and easily discouraged".

Politicians from the ruling Golkar grouping, the Moslem-based
United Development Party (PPP) and the populist Indonesian
Democratic Party (PDI) called Soemitro's allegation "too much of
a generalization."

"He's entitled to his opinion," Golkar chairman Harmoko said.
"But we can see for ourselves how various generations, including
the 1945, are presently involved in the decision-making processes
in all layers of society."

A stronger reaction came from Aisyah Amini of PPP, who
retorted that people from Soemitro's generation were not free
from the flaws he listed.

"We know many figures from the generation of independence
fighters who never uttered a single word (of criticism of the
system) until they retired."

Royani Haminullah from PDI threw Soemitro's allegation back to
the present political system which he said does not allow much
leeway for the younger generations to act.

"General Soemitro shouldn't have made a sweeping
generalization like that," he said. "The face of today's
generation is influenced by the deeds of our predecessors."

Talk only

Soemitro said he was concerned with the current condition in
which people "can only talk, but can't solve problems".

This syndrome, he says, does not affect people of his 1945
generation because they have achieved their goals and almost
completed their duties.

"It's time for the younger generations to decide where they
are leading this nation," the former independence fighter said.

The situation is more of a challenge for generations born
after 1945 who have grown to become people of lesser character,
he said.

"Whenever they face problems they can't solve, they become
apathetic and discouraged...their energy depleted," he said. "If
these traits are not corrected, they will be unable to take
future challenges."

"Take care. We don't want our nation to lose direction after
Pak Harto (President Soeharto) steps down," he said further.

Soemitro acknowledged that he could find many members of the
younger generations who have vast knowledge and clear visions.
However, they tend to be too narrow and remain entrapped by the
boundaries of their organizations, he said.

Courage

Harmoko said that the majority of the younger generations is
constantly exposed to lessons on values derived from the state-
ideology Pancasila, and so they are bound to have idealism and
courage.

"They bear the responsibility of seeing the tasks of present
and future development completed," he said.

Both Aisyah and Royani admitted that there are people from the
younger generations who fit Soemitro's description, but not too
many to warrant such a negative outlook.

"First, let's not forget that there are too many factors which
play a role in this situation," Royani said. "No generation can
claim that they are innocent from the guilt of giving one or two
bad examples."

Royani pointed that the current political condition was such
that most people, especially from the younger generations, are
unable to speak up.

"What we call a mechanism for democracy isn't really
democratic," he chided. "Certainly there are people who are bound
to be apathetic in this condition."

He said people from various generations bear the same
responsibility to rectify the situation, but feel that the
government should initiate the change.

"Let's capitalize on the fact that there are still many people
of the younger generations who are idealistic and do care about
how this nation will fare," he said.

Aisyah urged public leaders from Soemitro's generation to give
good examples and help push for the development of strong,
courageous younger generations.

"We sure can use some encouragement from them," she said.

Rejecting Royani's view that the political system is to blame,
the chair of the Commission I on political affairs and security
at the House of Representatives (DPR), instead pointed a finger
at the "cultural factors".

"We don't have the tradition where people can comfortably
express different, even conflicting, opinions," she said. "We are
not used to freely speaking our minds." (swe)