Student actions and dialogs

Student actions and dialogs

From Media Indonesia

Manifestations of concern by students are a nearly daily
occurrence on a great number of university campuses. Sometimes,
teachers and graduates of the universities join the
demonstrations. The media reports on students' demands for
political, economic and legal reforms, but it is never clear what
is written on the students' banners and what the students cry
out. Is the coverage wanting in professionalism or is this
intentional, to keep those things vague? Is it necessary to do
so? CNN reports on the situation nearly every day.

Actually, student demands are almost certainly the same as the
demands of the people, minus the group that has, for years,
enjoyed the country's riches through monopolistic facilities.
Indeed, there are many other things that are thorns in the flesh
of the students/the little people that have worsened the
situation.

It is sad that not much can be expected from the people's
representatives (the House of Representatives, the People's
Consultative Council) because the majority in these institutions
seem to represent the group of those in power too. At the most,
they say that the people must be ready to make sacrifices, to
uphold the country's unity and to tighten their belts.

Now, many people want a dialog between students and the
government. It may be important and it sounds a polite way of
communicating. But will there be an output in future? I am afraid
this dialog is nothing more than a session of balas pantun
(recitation of two or more persons singing traditional poetry).
House members are often seen in work meetings with ministers, the
President's assistants, looking very excited and enthusiastic.
What are the results?

After all, the government more than understands what is
expected by the students and the majority of the people.
Therefore, what kind of perception still needs to be equated?
What matters is only the political will.

Corruption and collusion. There are still people saying that
corruption is hard to eradicate. It must be done gradually. The
anticorruption law was passed in 1971. How can the eradication be
gradual if corruption worsens?

T.A. MADJID

Medan, North Sumatra