Readers Forum: RI must acknowledge Kosovo

Sat, 02/23/2008 4:44 PM  |  Opinion

ADPARA>Australian Prime Minister Rudd said,sorry history of Kosovo meansgot to do whatever we can to ensure citizens from that part of the world are protected into the future."

The people of Indonesia need to understand the history behind the 1962 New York Agreement, written by the United States for their own benefit, on the recommendation of national security adviser McGeorge Bundy. The mentor of McGeorge Bundy was Robert Lovett, a director of Freeport Sulphur.

Bundy, Lovett and the Rockefellers, who were directors of both Freeport and companies later known as Mobil and Chevron, which owned 60 percent of the Dutch company NNGPM, responsible for the discovery of Papua's vast copper, silver and gold wealth in 1936, were also members of the Order of the Skull and Bones.

The past governments of Australia, Indonesia and the United States were unaware of the unusual influence Freeport Sulphur had on the United States' decision to create the 1962 New York Agreement, which resulted in a grant to Gen. Soeharto of a 30-year mining license for West Papua by Freeport McMoRan in 1967, two years before Lt. Gen. Sarwo Edhi Wibowo organized what was calledof Free Choice".

But the people of Indonesia now know. Members of the United Nations should urgently reexamine the circumstances and legality of the New York Agreement, written in violation of United Nations General Assembly Resolutions 1514 (XV), 1541 (XV) and in disregard of the UN recognition of West New Guinea as a colony since Resolution 448 (V) was passed. ANDREW J.
Sydney

America's gun culture Feb. 19 p.3

The reason why bright people do not mention guns as a cause of violence is because they aren't. We have certain races in America which are more prone to violence than in other countries but nobody wants to mention this because of the fear of being branded a racist. If the population were adjusted for this fact the homicide rate, even with all the guns, would approach that of less violent countries. GEORGE J. DAGIS
Saugerties, NY

In the States, guns are used by people to defend themselves 2.5 million times per year. I know some folks overseas might not understand, but it is part of the American thought process. We are truly one of many.

It is the gun that allows us, as individuals, to keep that independence. If you read the founding fathers writings you would find that they not only thought there would be a need, but actually approved of regular armed rebellions to keep the government in check.

I have personally carried a gun for 10 years now and have taught more than 1,200 people to get there permits to carry a concealed handgun. The average American commits first time felonies at a rate 10 times as high as those who have a permit.

I know the papers in the U.S. do not portray it well, but it is not like they show it. Guns save lives! BRUCE
Stafford, Virginia

I really think country-to-country comparisons are meaningless because there are far too many variables. But I would point out that while it may be true that countries that clamped down with new control laws after a shooting rampage have not seen such another massacre, the overall crime rate has gone up.

To compare, overall violent crime in the U.S. has been dropping for decades, and per capita gun ownership is higher than it's been since before World War II. BEN MINER
Fairfax, Virginia

Legislators in America have made their allegiance with the gun industry, and have turned their backs on the citizens who voted them into office.

The NRA is a powerful and rich lobby group, providing major campaign contributions to political candidates. The number of politicians who are bonafide card-carrying members of the NRA is astounding.

We have now armed a country of lunatics, drunks, drugged-up, angry extremists. It is the shame of America. DAVEH
Miami, U.S.

A  |   A  |   A  |    |   |    |    |    |  

Copyright © 2008 The Jakarta Post - PT Bina Media Tenggara. All Rights Reserved.