A Nation Mourns
It was mid-day today, we had to leave pretty much ASAP for an appointment quite a long trip away. But I was still undressed with wet towel over my head: it was the funeral ceremony watched by many.. I'm sure the whole nation paused for the TV. And as they brought the coffin down, it rained.. which I didn't pay attention to.. until my superstitious aunty pointed it out as a cry seeing it's been hot and no rain.
Soeharto passed away yesterday afternoon at the age of 87 after long suffering. Long enough for people who wanted him to die, the press who've been standing by & working so hard in the midst of uncertainties (not necessarily those ppl who wanted him to die), for him. But TOO short for his supporters or people who wish to know him better, maybe read a few books about him before he passed away. I don't see how it matters if one knows him better before or after he's gone. But raised a question, how do you know Soeharto?
He's quite a controversy, his life was, his death is. But I'm oblivious to it all.. having ruled the country for 32 years (more than half of my life), I remember it was a shock to me when 10 years ago, as an 11 yr old I watched him standing before the microphone saying he's no longer the President. The year before my dad shouted to the whole house about Princess Diana's death, which also was a shock. But changing President was a surprise not less than if I at the time found out I was a boy. It was just something that has always been.. as long as I was concerned. And, well, I was never concerned.. as a kid I took him as the eternal President of Indonesia.
Keeping in mind my oblivious-ness, he's a charming figure who had great smile. And he's always smiling. Under his New Order regime I felt like life was straight.. things were organized and peaceful (this was before the bloody 1998 riot.. which was also the same year he let go of his Presidency). This memory of how good life was might be because I didn't know stuffs that I didn't need to. Now I'm conscious & in access of rising price of basic goods that play the domino effects on everybody and people screaming in demonstrations cursing the government for everything from busway projects to slightest change in National Budget.
Soeharto passed away yesterday afternoon at the age of 87 after long suffering. Long enough for people who wanted him to die, the press who've been standing by & working so hard in the midst of uncertainties (not necessarily those ppl who wanted him to die), for him. But TOO short for his supporters or people who wish to know him better, maybe read a few books about him before he passed away. I don't see how it matters if one knows him better before or after he's gone. But raised a question, how do you know Soeharto?
He's quite a controversy, his life was, his death is. But I'm oblivious to it all.. having ruled the country for 32 years (more than half of my life), I remember it was a shock to me when 10 years ago, as an 11 yr old I watched him standing before the microphone saying he's no longer the President. The year before my dad shouted to the whole house about Princess Diana's death, which also was a shock. But changing President was a surprise not less than if I at the time found out I was a boy. It was just something that has always been.. as long as I was concerned. And, well, I was never concerned.. as a kid I took him as the eternal President of Indonesia.
Keeping in mind my oblivious-ness, he's a charming figure who had great smile. And he's always smiling. Under his New Order regime I felt like life was straight.. things were organized and peaceful (this was before the bloody 1998 riot.. which was also the same year he let go of his Presidency). This memory of how good life was might be because I didn't know stuffs that I didn't need to. Now I'm conscious & in access of rising price of basic goods that play the domino effects on everybody and people screaming in demonstrations cursing the government for everything from busway projects to slightest change in National Budget.
To his passing, I am sad for losing this figure I mentioned above.. and also reminded about mortality. All said and done, I wonder whether he's now hanging out with Mother Theresa or Mao Tse Tung. Whoever it is, he left many of us with indecisiveness - what to do, how to remember him. And I remember, to forgive you must first know one's wrong doings.
Selamat jalan Pak Harto...
posted by odorus at 8:24 AM
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