Racial year

Normally at the end of each year, particularly around the last days of December, groups, individuals and organizations issue different perspectives of the year running out based on their professions and opinions. The Brussels-based International Federation of Journalists, for example, has assessed 1996 as "a bad year" that witnessed the killing of at least 50 reporters while on assignment.

With all the progress in technology, the world has unfortunately achieved little in terms of human unity that could at least minimize jingoism, chauvinism and the lack of inter- racial respect that persists almost worldwide.

The following cases, all of which happened last year, bear undeniable testimony to the stated fact that 1996 was a racial year.

Three months ago, Pauline Hanson, an Australian Independent MP, pointed out that her country was in danger of being "swamped" by Asians. This statement offended Asian communities in Australia and it became controversial to the extent that Asians were being insulted on Australian streets.

Malaysian leaders, being very vocal against this, have threatened to evacuate their 11,000 nationals who are currently studying in Australia. However, there are many Australians in Asian cities today, so don't be surprised if they have the same complaints if they are asked.

In South Africa, Nelson Mandela still has a lot to do in order to ensure that no one group dominates simply because it has a lighter complexion.

Many black men and women in the United States still feel 100 percent dissatisfied with both the social and economic order there, even though their ancestors, through hard labor and slavery, contributed to the greatness of the American nation of today.

Your Dec. 29 edition provided a picture portraying Ethiopian Jews protesting the racist policy of Israel's national blood bank. The bank announced an appeal for blood donations nationwide for poor hospital patients but particularly for those who could not afford to buy blood. Ethiopian Jews, feeling very brotherly, came out en masse to donate. After all their donations, their blood was politely unused and in fact thrown out. I frankly feel that the Ethiopian Jews must only blame themselves. They pressured the Israeli government for years to take them from Africa to Israel, believing erroneously that they are of Jewish ancestry and not Ethiopian, even though they are black.

BUHARI ABDU

Jakarta