יום חמישי, 6 בספטמבר 2007

Letter to Indonesian MP Djoko Susilo

Dear Mr. Djoko Susilo,

I am a US citizen who live in Medan. My wife is Indonesian. I read your article in the Jakarta Post of today, and I amazed how Indonesia is letting the Russians to sell them what the Russians want and not what the Indonesian people need?
Do you really think Indonesia's high priority is to invest in the Indonesian Army? Who are the unseen enemies of Indonesia? If Indonesian government is really caring about the future of the Indonesian population it should invest as much as it can in the education of the next generation, and prevent as much as possible the destruction of Indonesian natural resources. Selling natural resources without high added value is like selling the future of Indonesia.
Indonesian businessmen enjoying selling the resources of Indonesia to everyone for a little as the price of commodities. They can make their families rich, but Indonesia will become poor. Indonesia should forbid selling of its natural resources to foreign countries! It should create factories to use these natural resources and sell the fine products at highest margin possible everywhere. The poor population of Indonesia need that money.
I am living in Medan and watch TV. I see that almost 100% of the business news is about Jakarta. It seems like the Indonesian elected officials are siting in Jakarta and remember their electorate just when election is near. Jakarta is Indonesia, - and all the rest is just a background like the sky and sea. It just has to look nice, so it will not disturb so much the life of the Jakartan elite...
Indonesian leaders are condemning Malaysia for the way they treat Indonesian citizens. It's hypocrisy! The Indonesian poor are not treated well by the Indonesian authorities as well. I was shocked to see at the Indonesian KL embassy thousands of Indonesian foreign workers around the yard, waiting all day long for consular services. Did you ever see such neglected treatment at any other democratic country?
Another thing that shocked me here is the internal colonialist practices. I found almost no Indonesian rich man who does not have nanny, maid or both at his home. This is a legacy of the Dutch colonialists. It's a pity the Indonesian government do nothing to stop this modern form of slavery.

As you can see, I care so much for the future of the Indonesian population, as I care for any human being, and much more, due to my family ties. I do have many plans of how to help elevate the status of Indonesia, and I am ready to share them with anyone who want to hear. They are not new. Just need to learn from positive developments in other poor countries.
I hope you and your colleagues in the Indonesian leadership, will do as much as possible to help the huge and poor population of Indonesia. The fate of huge numbers of people are in your hands.

Good Luck!