Reconciliation an urgent matter

Reconciliation an urgent matter

From Neraca

I was greatly saddened to read a front-page report in one of
Jakarta's daily newspapers which revealed that 33 sub-districts
in the capital are now classified as poor, a figure which stood
at 11 before the crisis.

According to the report, many residents in these 33 areas are
suffering from a shortage of food but have unfortunately been
ignored by the sub-district authorities. Two sub-districts, North
Kebayoran Lama and North Grogol, both of which lie in the
Kebayoran Lama district, are fine examples in this respect.

It was made clear in the report that our community is in a
really bad condition. Food shortages are no longer only found in
outlying areas of the country.

Now that poverty has returned to many parts of Jakarta, things
must surely be even worse in the regions, especially in those
areas generally associated with poverty such as Gunung Kidul.
Now that the situation has slipped from bad to worse, it will
take a Herculean effort to improve it.

Unfortunately, however, community leaders, government
officials and wealthy members of the community have never given
serious thought to this matter. They are busy pandering to their
own egos by establishing political parties. No action, talk only,
while the people's plight becomes ever more unbearable.

We must all realize that the best way to cope with this is to
unite. That means the proposed national reconciliation must be
construed in this light. We should leave behind the New Order
practice of boasting about unity in a society riddled with
widening disparities and divisions. In other words, national
reconciliation must be brought about soon.

ZAINUL ARIFIN

Jakarta