The anxieties of our time

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Tue, 02/06/2007 4:48 PM | Opinion

Leng C. Tan is anxious for the return of religion and ideology to Indonesian politics, on the grounds of what has happened in the past (The Jakarta Post, Jan. 9, page 6). The Americans are anxious about al-Qaeda and started a war in Iraq, which they now regret.

In my country (the Netherlands) the people are anxious about the still increasing anger of the non-western world. In the meantime, a very strict politics against foreigners ended in the fall of the Dutch government. Old married women are anxious that their husbands will take another wife, and we can follow a discussion in Indonesia about polygamy. Anxieties, being instinctive reactions, are good warning signals but bad counselors. We must use our intelligence to solve problems, not our emotions.

""The rule of law must be fortified and law enforcement rigorously applied,"" is Tan's advice. Does he want to go back to the strong guidance of the last 30 years?

The administration is now following another road with more understanding and forgiveness. Weak leadership? The year 2006 was the first since 2002 without suicide bombings. Aceh held its first democratic elections in 2006. And Indonesia is already recognized internationally as an important power.

ADRIAAN H. BOON VAN OSTADE
Bandung

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