Stop political disputes
Stop political disputes
From Jurnal Indonesia
In retrospect, when the reform drive toppled the old regime and led to the establishment of a new and more democratic government, imbued with the vigor to uphold the supremacy of civilians and bring the reform drive to completion, the emergence of KH Abdurrahman Wahid, or Gus Dur as he is popularly called, and Megawati Soekarnoputri as the leaders of this country was in fact the best choice for the Indonesian people.
It must be remembered that with all his pluses and minuses, Gus Dur has saved the Indonesian "ship" from sinking. Gus Dur should not be blamed for all the crises still gripping Indonesia as they are the legacy of the Soeharto regime. It must also be borne in mind that the status quo forces are still trying to obstruct Gus Dur's administration because they want a comeback to the seat of power and also to free themselves from being punished for the sins they committed during the New Order era.
At this juncture, one must also take into account the political cost to be paid if the conflicts involving the political elite lead finally to national disintegration. There will be bloodshed and innocent people will fall victim. At present the people are suffering enough from the protracted crisis so do not make them suffer more.
Also, it must also be taken into account the "strongman" who must finally emerge if the conflicts involving the political elite become unsolvable. This strongman will use his iron hands to stifle press freedom, ignore human rights and restrict individual freedom, all in the name of restoring stability. If this happens, it will mark the failure of the reform drive and the return of a nightmare for the Indonesian people.
It is no longer the right time to mobilize the masses to pursue one's political goal. What this nation needs is the intelligence of a statesman, even if he/she is from a minority group, who has a popular and forward-looking perspective and is bent on pursuing progress for the nation.
Therefore, allow me to: 1. Call on our political elite to end their disputes, which are actually based on a vested interest in power, as these disputes may lead this nation to disintegration. 2. Appeal to all members of the People's Consultative Assembly to establish a new and more civilized Indonesia with a greater respect for human rights and universal humanitarian values.
FIKRI THALIB
Indonesian National Council of Disabled People