TGPF and moral courage

The long-awaited joint fact-finding team (TGPF) report on the mid-May riots deserves a thumbs-up. It stands towering as an honest report and a sign of moral courage amid a grievous condition of our nation which lacks integrity.

The hard work of this team is even more encouraging for most Indonesians, who still count on conscience rather than pride, power and deception. While we see some government officials or political leaders only fight for their self-interests or their own institution's interests, the government-assigned TGPF should be warmly welcomed. The struggle within its own team before it reached its conclusion -- certainly not a perfect one -- only shows us its true effort to fight for truth and justice.

Reflecting on how deep and serious the problem is prevailing in Indonesia -- corruption, the government's and most political leaders' (in the system) lack of credibility and the racial and economic disparity -- we desperately need people who have the courage to fight for the truth and humanity; broad-minded enough to see the real problems of society and thus speak up and act accordingly.

It is always refreshing to see that there are still people with high integrity and courage, like Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Romo Sandyawan and Marzuki Darusman, willing to make themselves available to labor for humanity and keep sowing the seeds of eternity.

ILHAM DJAJA

Jakarta