Value of reform

Value of reform

From Rakyat Merdeka

The reform movement has been going on for two years but its
results are yet to be seen. Far from what was initially agreed
upon, the values of the reform movement are still ornamental to
political players. Print and electronic media abound with reports
testifying to this tendency. Take, for example, the sixth item in
the reform vision, namely "to put to a stop all forms or violence
and or anarchy." In reality, violence and anarchy are rife now.
Everywhere political aspirations are expressed through mass
mobilization usually marred by violence.

Anarchy seems to be an inseparable part of street rallies. It
is no longer a taboo. The political elite tend to resort to mob
politics, which actually should not be destructive when it is
resorted to in pursuit of a political goal, without heed to the
considerations of the characteristics of a democratization
process, as agreed upon in the last annual session of the
People's Consultative Assembly. The political elite never seem to
care about the political, social, economic and security impacts
of mob politics. Neither do they bother about the impression that
their mob politics may have abroad. More victims have fallen
prey to this mob politics while problems related to 1,081,341
refugees of various ethnic groups across the country are yet to
be solved.

The political elite resorting to mob politics in their
insistence for an accelerated convening of the special session of
the People's Consultative Assembly must think many times the
adverse impacts their action may exert on the public.

It is better for those for or against accelerated convening of
the special session of the People's Consultative Assembly to
spend their energy on, for example, helping 70,225 Madurese
evicted from Sampit as refugees or rehabilitating public
facilities destroyed as a result of rioting in Aceh, Poso, Maluku
and elsewhere across the archipelago.

May God the Almighty enlighten the political elite and their
masses so that a way out may soon be found for the
multidimensional crisis now gripping Indonesia.

Last but not least, it is of great urgency now to establish
political communication among the top national leaders through an
informal gathering in an atmosphere of national reconciliation in
the interest of the nation and the state.

SUYONO

Bekasi, West Java