RI, a nation of

RI, a nation of incredible people

From Koran Tempo

When the bombs exploded in Bali thunderously, I was imagining a gang of people laughing heartily or at least smiling proudly because they had succeeded in sending thousands of people into a state of panic. The explosion too had made hundreds of people busy and dozens others nervous because they were afraid of losing their post.

Whoever the perpetrators may be, whatever their race, tribe, ethnicity or religion, these people are really incredible. Why? Because they have no conscience, pity nor fear, much less a feeling of shame.

What makes them even more incredible is the fact that they are even fiercer and more savage than the fiercest animal on earth. Have you ever heard of a lion eating its own cub? Have you ever seen a wolf prey on its own family? Only man is known to have done it all!

After the bomb exploded and made headlines in all the papers, I observed a group of people who were clever at making use of this opportunity for their own popularity. They made use of the disaster as a vehicle to forward their career. They made use of the calamity for amassing money to line their pockets.

Whoever they may be or whatever profession or educational background they are from, these people are really amazing. Why? Because they are really good at making use of every opportunity: By sending wreaths to the Australian Embassy and talking in front of TV cameras, demanding that certain groups be responsible for the blast.

What would they do if they were made responsible for tracking down the perpetrators? Would they do the same thing if the victims of the blast were their relatives?

When I saw the billowing smoke which made many concerned, I too saw many people (who were normally busy with their own business) express concern.

Whoever they are and from whatever department they represent, these people too are incredible. They took turns at giving comments and analysis although I think most of what they said is groundless. This all eventually forced the Minister of Political and Security Affairs to ask those people to refrain from making misleading statements.

However, all of this seems unstoppable because that is all that they can do.

The conflicts in Ambon and Aceh can never be resolved. The problems of migrant workers in Nunukan remains a boil that may rupture at any moment.

Yet, I am proud to be Indonesian because this country has many incredible people.

FARID

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