Now, the situation is much worse in Indonesia than 10 years ago. It is because then, there was still some hope. The progressive Muslim leader Abdurrahman Wahid, was alive and so was Pramoedya Ananta Toer. Mr Wahid, a former President of Indonesia, was a closet Socialist. He was deposed by a judicial coup constructed by the Indonesian elites and military, but many Indonesians still believed that he would manage to make a comeback.
Andre VltchekTens of millions of Russian people died, fighting all sorts of Western expansionism. They defeated Nazism. They helped to liberate much of our world from colonialism. Of course the West never forgave Russia for fighting the epic battles against its expansionism and colonialism.
Andre VltchekIn Indonesia, there are many parties, but they are all pro-business and for the elites, and all their candidates, including Jokowi, are pre-selected, and pre-approved, by the regime. So no matter how people vote here, it changes nothing.
Andre VltchekAnd of course, Indonesian people are above all scared of being 'different'. Being different here is punished brutally. Different people get mocked, ostracized, raped, tortured, and murdered. They are banned. To be a Communist is banned. To be gay is banned. To be an atheist is banned. To be a Taoist is banned. Being one of a thousand things is banned.
Andre VltchekPeople in Indonesia are scared of being assaulted, insulted, robbed or raped. Again, it is because they are unprotected. Police and even the legal system are corrupt or/and on the side of the rich. Victims see no justice. How could you not be scared in almost total lawlessness?
Andre VltchekLearning, traveling and comparing the world, writing outraged poetry, producing revolutionary art, demonstrating, holding the older generation-including their own parents and grandparents, responsible for destroying this country, and finally aiming at building a just, kind and beautiful nation called 'Indonesia'. This is much better and glorious than sitting in Starbucks, staring like idiots at uniformed smart phones, and basically killing ones life... and the lives of others... for nothing.
Andre Vltchek