Students, be united!

Students, be united!

From Media Indonesia

Recently the students' movement has become more intensified. Unfortunately their movement has been polarized since May 1998 so that the unification of students into a massive power capable of crushing the regime that has betrayed the people is impossible. What is more obvious is that efforts to seek students' support have accelerated. Some students' movements say that our political leaders have betrayed the reform agenda, while some others persistently stick to one issue only.

I think that whatever the form of polarization of students' movements, if they have one common issue they can reclaim the massive power that had been lost. There is obviously an indication that part of the students' power has succumbed to the money offered by the power holders of the regime. And the cleverness of the power holders to recruit supporting masses has convinced me of this.

To reveal the truth in terms of morality, combined with intellectual strength is the special characteristic of the students. If some students have eventually deviated from this, I am afraid that the high integrity that is expected of them as this nation's future leaders, will be far from the people's expectations. There are three reasons why students cannot unite themselves.

First, if moral power can be bought, no truth will ever be unveiled. Second, students who consistently place themselves in the corridor of intellectuality and morality are real fighters who are ready to sacrifice themselves for the interests of the people. And third, the unification of students with the two different mental outlooks cannot possibly be realized, because each has been tarnished by their respective ego.

ADITYA PERDANA

Jakarta