Searching for meaning

Searching for meaning

As Indonesia's Independence Day on Aug. 17 draws near, a huge
number of people, mostly ordinary citizens, many of whom are
still struggling to keep their heads above the "economic water",
are asking each other: Where is the Golden Bridge promised by the
founders of this republic and the idealistic leaders of the
birth of the nation?

Indonesians were hopefully happy when told at the beginning of
nationhood that independence was not the ultimate goal of the
struggle against colonialism. Independence should be seen as what
the leaders eloquently described as a "Golden Bridge", which
would lead to justice and social welfare, to the uplifting of the
downtrodden, to the prosperity of the oppressed, notably the
millions of landless farmers.

Now after a 58-year period of trial and error since
Indonesia's independence proclamation in 1945, the promised
Golden Bridge is nowhere to be seen. Unemployment remains high,
education has become a luxury for many, most cities are full of
displaced persons, factories have been relocated or closed down.
The promise of the Golden Bridge, as the road map to people's
prosperity, has not been heard again.

To everybody's surprise, however, for those fortunate few who
managed to become, reportedly through dark manipulation, a
special bridge has now been erected over which they can pass
freely to more power and more wealth.

Those who have declared themselves to be suitable candidates
for the 2004 direct presidential elections, for instance, are
running across this special bridge like "mad cows", as if there
is no more important thing to do. Many citizens are asking why so
many influential intellectuals, politicians, scientists,
economists, journalists and artists wrongly believe that the best
way to serve the country and the community is only through the
posts of president and vice president, instead of through
exemplary honesty, dedication and professionalism?

It seems correct to say that they have removed the promised
Golden Bridge for the people and have erected a Bally Bridge of
their own making in its place. Fortunately, there are still
enough modest sensible and competent Indonesians left who have
not lost their minds.

GANDHI SUKARDI, Jakarta