Voices of concern

The voices of concern are louder these days. Even Dr. Frans Seda, former minister of finance and rector of Atmajaya Catholic University, has joined the chorus.

As an political and economic commentator is well known for his normally pro-New Order views.

We need then, to ask why in a recent seminar at the Institute for Social Institution Studies (ISIS) in Jakarta last week, Frans Seda commented that the current political and economic situation was frustrating.

Dr. Seda criticized the decline of general morality in political, economic, social spheres, in addition to the crisis of confidence in our laws, their enforcers and in government authority.

A university professor who rarely criticizes the government, now says that the relationship between the state and religion is far from optimal. Seda claims that structural and political obstacles obstruct implementation of policies as prescribed by the state ideology, Pancasila.

All this, according to the usually silent scholar, is the reason why even minor conflict can cause people to take the law into their own hands, and go wild rioting.

Similar feelings of concern were expressed by Prof. James Clark, of Georgetown University, Washington D.C.in an interview with the Voice of America's last week.

Clark mentioned a number of cases which in long run, could have a adverse consequences for Indonesia.

On East Timor, for example, Indonesia is on the defensive. Indonesia has revealed an unwillingness to engage in dialogue with Portugal under the auspices of the UN. Ramos Horta, a Nobel Prize laureate, is now free to speak in a number of universities in the U.S.

Other issues which may cause negative results are LIPPO's donation to Bill Clinton's campaign which will be scrutinized by the Republican Party for as long as Clinton is in power. Human rights issues will also erode American sympathy for Indonesia. And finally, there is the delayed sale of F-16 fighters.

A greater reason for concern, however, is the upcoming general election. According to the American scholar, the election will not be free of violence, even in it's aftermath.

In Washington, Clark has founded the Southeast Asian International and Strategic Studies Institute in America, to raise the publics weak awareness of Indonesia in comparison to say, Vietnam.

Frans Seda and James Clark deserve a triple "bravo". Their concern for Indonesia is moving. Perhaps it is we are indifferent and lack concern, wasting three hedonistic decades.

-- Merdeka, Jakarta