Posthumous appreciation only?

Posthumous appreciation only?

From Kompas

The Directorate General of Defense Forces in its letter dated
April 1, 2003 to the minister of finance stated that allowances
for some of Indonesia's veterans were limited to the government's
social aid fund due to economic considerations.

Based on data of the Ministry of Defense, the country has
803,341 war veterans, retired policemen and civil servants and
the present regulation limits the number of those entitled to
allowances to only 271,325. The majority of them are therefore
still deprived of the benefit.

The director general of budgetary affairs in his letter dated
Oct. 18, 2003 on behalf of the minister of finance briefly noted
that due to financial constraints, veterans' allowances could not
yet be provided. Meanwhile, media reports have shown that the
finance minister is in a position to pay monthly allowances of Rp
10 million to Rp 15 million per legislator.

It is common knowledge that members of the House have not yet
made any achievements whereas war veterans once defended the
Republic without thinking of personal gain. Many of them even
lost their lives, their families, have become physically disabled
and suffered other hardships.

The living conditions of both groups deserve proper
considerations based on conscience. Is it fair? Let us hope that
the competent authorities will do something to improve the fate
of veterans so that these old folks, mostly aged 70 and above,
will not just receive posthumous appreciation.

ZAGLOEL MOEROEN
Bogor, West Java