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View all search resultsYour letters: Unity in diversity
Diversity: Religious leaders hold hands in Jakarta on Aug
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Diversity: Religious leaders hold hands in Jakarta on Aug. 26, 2015 after making a declaration for peace among religious communities during a dialogue on pluralism and the implementation of principles enshrined in the state ideology of Pancasila. They also called on the people to maintain unity, harmony and promote tolerance.(JP/DON) (JP/DON)
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span class="caption">Diversity: Religious leaders hold hands in Jakarta on Aug. 26, 2015 after making a declaration for peace among religious communities during a dialogue on pluralism and the implementation of principles enshrined in the state ideology of Pancasila. They also called on the people to maintain unity, harmony and promote tolerance.(JP/DON)
When people are educated, prosperous and satisfied, no political or religious influence can separate them from each other.
When a nation is prosperous, people will not want to become 'volunteers' to fight abroad; a very embarrassing case indeed.
Yet, Indonesia is not the only nation where there are still people who are not open to all religions/faiths.
Yes, in spite of our adherence to the Pancasila and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, to which all our government officials swear by before occupying strategic positions, respect for other religions or sects thereof is not clearly observed. This, in fact, is reflected by the beliefs of the less educated portion of the population who hardly respect each other's faith.
The Report on Terrorism in The Jakarta Post on Jan. 5, 2016, by Ruslan Sangadji, said 'IS-linked MIT recruits female fighters'. This is indeed the serious consequences of our neglect of the Pancasila.
The presence of the Religious Affairs Ministry makes us think we are religious people, yet it is so difficult for Christians to get city permits to build churches.
This prompts me think very negatively; that my application for promotion from Air Force colonel to air first marshal in 1978 kept on returned to my 'two-stars' boss (three times!) from the deputy chief of staff, just because I am a . . . catholic?
My two-star boss has died and so it is the deputy chief of staff who failed to endorse my promotion for the chief of staff of the Air Force, who has also passed away. What was strange to me was the fact that the very same chief of staff had selected me to accompany him when he visited the chief of staff of the Royal Australian Air Force in Canberra; the chief of staff of the New Zealand Air Force in Wellington; and the chief of staff of The Royal Thai Air Force in Bangkok.
The late deputy chief of staff was so neglectful that my colonel-ship had to be inaugurated by Col. Niklani in Washington when I was sent to take up training at the International Defense Management Course (IDMC) in Montery, California, the USA.
These stupid shortcomings among our leaders are ingredients for extreme dissatisfaction, which can easily transform to disproportional anger for shortsighted officers.
My one-star and two-star officer colleagues in our housing compound, who are mostly about 10 years younger than me, prefer to keep quite. My case, I believe, is but one cause of dissatisfaction, which uncontrolled, could easily flare up to 'destructive' activities. Let us not allow these unnecessary cases to be repeated, and risk having dissatisfied individuals block the progress of our nation unnecessarily.
Moeljono Adikoesoemo
Jakarta
