I first came to Indonesia some 30 plus years ago as a young man and lived here for several years. Although a foreigner, I have strong personal ties to Indonesia, and I believe because of this I have a right to comment on the state of affairs within this country.
I returned to the UK and lived there for around 20 years, but about three years ago I returned to Indonesia. I had always planned to return. When I lived here all those years ago, the people were so kind, warm, and generous, and whilst I was away, I was always longing to return and experience again that feeling of belonging. Oh, how things change! (By Peter Ramsey, Jakarta)
Your comments:
I am one of those who are waiting for our time to return to Indonesia. I am Indonesian, though repeatedly called by other names, nevertheless I am proud to be Indonesian, and I am proud of my country.
It will be immensely hard to change this country for the better, the system has been corrupted to its root, the mentality has been tainted with all negativity, but it doesn't mean that we can only sit and do nothing.
Each of us, in our own way, could do something to make things better. Loren Eiseley wrote this once "A young boy walked along the beach at dawn, he noticed an older man picking up starfish and tossing them into the sea. The boy asked the man why he was doing this.
The older man explained that the stranded fish would die if left in the morning sun. The young boy replied "But the beach goes on for several miles and maybe there are millions of starfish? How can you possible make a difference?" The old man replied, "I will make a difference to that one."
Gurnardi Rea
Rotterdam
Pretty much sums it up doesn't it. Spot on! Give this guy his own column.
Denni Hooping
Jakarta
This is one of the strongest indictments on Indonesia I have read, justified or not. Perhaps the powers that be should reflect deeply on how best the country could get out of this morass.
Corruption has been endemic for as long as I could remember stretching back to the Guided Democracy days. Yet one reads frequently of the grand standing made by officials and members of the House of Representatives with the least trace of humility. They seem to suggest that they could hoodwink the people with their obnoxious and unthinking display of jingoism and nationalism.
It is reasonable to ask if you can't put your house in order, if you continue to mismanage things, what hopes are there for Indonesia to be a "Middle Power" as some say it aspires to be?
Ariff
Setiawangsa
Indonesians educated abroad face great challenges with their compatriots who are educated in Indonesia. Sometimes they face discrimination and power struggles from within. I remembered an Indonesian friend who went home to take a position in a firm only to be lectured by his Indonesian supervisor, "Don't bring your Westernized mindset in this office."
My friend felt that the person to look up to for direct honest solutions was with the company's expatriate boss. The environmental disasters happening around Indonesia is a unending situation and sadly the welfare of the Indonesians has suffered.
Edward K
Los Angeles
Ramsey ... you ask: "Is there anybody left to clean up the mess? Is there anyone who has the courage, who is interested only in the nation, with no personal agenda, who can take up the challenge?"
Well, I know many educated Indonesians abroad who do not want to go back to Indonesia because they think it's impossible for them to clean up the mess.
Helena van der Winden
Jakarta
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