TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Letter: A kind of Javanization?
This is a comment on the article “Kopassus and the legend of ‘Mpu Gandring”, (the Post, March 31) by Aboeprijadi Santoso
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
This is a comment on the article “Kopassus and the legend of ‘Mpu Gandring”, (the Post, March 31) by Aboeprijadi Santoso.
Wonder why we’re not surprised? And perhaps it’s just a little cynical (to the point of paranoia) especially with the constant references in the article to Javanese mythology (why not Sunda, Minang, etc.?) .
Perhaps it’s because we see in reality that it’s just another manifestation of the continued unofficial policy of the Javanization of Indonesia, from Aceh to Papua. Javanese domination of earlier transmigration policies, the civil service, military, police — you name it, they’re at the top!
Perhaps the Indonesian government would do well to desist following in the footsteps of Soeharto and stop trying to wipe out any opposition to the continued Javanese domination of Indonesia. Perhaps they should try something they seem allergic to: Dialogue. It works a lot better than killing your enemies.
Perhaps they should also try giving other ethnic groups a slice of the
economic and power pie, and stop trying to keep everyone else
(non-Javanese) down before it all implodes on them. They create a lot
of ill will. Ask any ordinary (non-Javanese) citizen in the street.
Crispin Waugh
Vancouver
