Reform coalition

Reform coalition

Recently, three leaders, Megawati Soekarnoputri, Abdurrahman
Wahid and Bishop Belo, met to initiate the idea of a government-
backed reform coalition. Reportedly these leaders stated that a
consensus among reform leaders was needed, to improve people
confidence in the nation. Yet one very strong reform leader who
seems to have the confidence of a great many of Indonesia's
people, Amien Rais, was conspicuous by his absence from this
meeting. According to news reports, Amien Rais was not invited to
this coalition-building meeting. One of the meeting's hosts,
Abdurrahman, explained that it was difficult to contact Amien
Rais.

How much credibility can this or any other reform group have,
and how much confidence can they inspire, when they deliberately
exclude, for reasons that appear to be founded on petty
jealousies or ego, someone who has had so prominent and
responsible a role in the current reform movement? If these self-
appointed reformers cannot put personal ambitions aside for the
good of the nation in even this small way, how will they ever be
able to transform the nation's value system from pursuit of self-
interest, to devotion to the common good?

For the sake of Indonesia's future let us hope that these
personages, two of whom are religious leaders as well, will do a
little more soul-searching before their next coalition-building
reformers' meeting.

DONNA K. WOODWARD

Medan