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