UN should do more

Many people with a lot of compassion in their hearts but with little understanding of (state) political hypocrisy have expressed regret at the failure of the United Nations to prevent the escalation of the conflict emanating from the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on Sept. 11.

Understandably, the United States government and people who have suffered most from the attack mentally and physically were getting impatient to retaliate. Unfortunately, however, the U.S. did not consider the participation of the United Nations, as an international organization representing most of humanity, trustworthy enough to deal with the crisis even after the UN Security Council voted overwhelmingly in favor of fighting international and national terrorism.

With the launching of a military attack on Afghanistan, practically as if ignoring the rest of the world, the U.S. has created more international fear and has put world peace in a precarious balance. This has created the impression that there is confrontation between Christians and Islamic countries, and peoples or rather the common masses in various countries have now either to side with the U.S. and its allies or with the terrorist camp which in turn causes an unprecedented dilemma among many weak but peace-loving nations like Indonesia.

Meanwhile, a call for the severing of diplomatic ties with the U.S. and other western countries has come from insane minds. These people apparently do not realize that Indonesia has been and will continue to be dependent on foreign loans for its existence. Fortunately, there is enough sanity and common sense among donor countries and financial institutions to honor their pledges. Had the UN been involved in the fight against terrorism the task to solve the conflict would have been much easier. Now it looks as if there will be a long and uncertain period of no- peace-no-war for humanity in the future.

GANDHI SUKARDI

Jakarta