Taking the wrong cues from the U.S.
Taking the wrong cues from the U.S.
From Rakyat Merdeka
Indonesians consist of people dwelling in areas stretching
from Sabang to Merauke and people who are no longer concerned by
the issue of ethnic differences, for example because of
interethnic marriage.
They know that Indonesia has been an independent unitary state
for 54 years and that they are Indonesians. To them Indonesia is
a group of islands stretching along the equator.
Yet there is also a handful of people who are members of the
political elite. They provoke regional people into taking
separatist action that will end up in national disintegration. To
us, on the one hand, the political elite seems to be progressive
minded. They may have been educated abroad, such as in the United
States, and they would like to model our country upon the United
States.
On the other hand, however, these people have caused
backwardness in our nation. They seem to be unaware of the fact
that Southeast Asian countries have set up ASEAN, European
countries their European Union and countries in Asia and the
Pacific, APEC.
The elite would like to set up a federal state, which is
actually inappropriate for this country. They are advocating it
in the name of the people while the action is actually in pursuit
of their political ambition. Or, perhaps, the members of the
political elite are the lackeys of imperialist powers or perhaps
the henchmen of the countries where they used to stay and study.
Why have they never thought of calling on all people to unite
and help the reform government under Abdurrahman Wahid and
Megawati Soekarnoputri? They should explain to the people that
the present government is a reform government. This government
was set up after the collapse of the corrupt New Order regime,
which was notorious for trampling upon people's rights.
Why not do this for the people. Explain to the people that the
new government will lead us all to a New Indonesia. This
government will place popular sovereignty in the place it
deserves. It is based on democracy and upholding justice.
Besides, it is not tainted by corruption, collusion and nepotism.
The New Indonesia will never come into being with only Gus Dur
or Megawati along. It will take the entire nation to establish a
New Indonesia. The key in this Herculean task is unity. Then all
national components from the central to the regional levels
should restructure our state. In this way, injustice no longer be
found in Indonesia, in all aspects of life. Let us solve our
national problems within the framework of Indonesian nationalism.
SOEBAGIO SAFRI
Jakarta