YouthSays | YouthSays, Indonesia’s Youth Opinion Community

YouthSays | YouthSays, Indonesia’s Youth Opinion Community.

Indonesia’s Quest of Full-fledged Democracy

It is true and sad that democracy that we admire since the reformation era in 1998 bring us to the deepest sorrow nowadays. Blood spillage, damage of public facilities, and curse to the government are happened in this country many times in many places. And few days ago, we got awful news from the media that this country had to sacrifice another victim to the sake of democracy. The tragedy of the death of the Head of DPRD in North Sumatera shocked us and also generates us to think hundred times about the democracy itself. Is this democracy that we live in? Is this democracy that we desire? Is this the real democracy that we wish to preserve?

If I have to answer those questions, I would say NO! Democracy that I learnt in the college, or heard and saw in TV is not like this. But people who think that they fully understand about this ideology said that this is the sacrifice that we have to pay for. No, I don’t think so. More than ten years we live in this situation, and maybe more than ten thousands people were killed on this situation. Is this democracy that we wish for?

In the process to achieve the full-fledged democracy, our own style of democracy, we always remind ourselves about the importance of freedom of expressions. The stakeholders of this country said that ‘We are free to make an opinion!’, ‘We are free to being different!’, ‘We are free to protest!’ and ‘We are free to criticize’. But, do they really know about the real sense of the freedom itself? Do they fully understand how to protest and criticize in the ethics of democracy? I don’t think so. People in this country are too obsessed of being democrats. People in this country are too mesmerized of having a total freedom in their life. Eventually, those facts generate our people to become stubborn, superficial, and also dull.

Democracy is shouted everywhere, the labors, the political activists, the political parties, the university students, or even the school kids. They demonstrate their opinion, their claim, and also protest to the government. I do agree with them. I believe, by demonstrating our thoughts, feelings, and opinion to the public (particularly the government), will synchronize the process of development of democracy itself. In the process of democracy, we need the active participation of the civil society, and it happens in our country. But in reality, what we saw in the media shows us about the way they demonstrate their thoughts could be considered as a form of anarchism. People who admit that they are a university students are do the damage of public facilities, punch the police officers, or even burn some of public facilities and always make a traffic jam. So, is this the real democracy that we want? I don’t think so. The death of the Head of DPRD in North Sumatera few days ago proved us that we experienced a wrong direct of democracy. Democracy is an alibi for people who don’t have responsibility of their act. They act out of the blue and act uncontrolled. Is this democracy that we fight for? I don’t think so.

Those realities made us think hard about who’s going to take the responsibility to educate the people and to teach them about the ethics of democracy itself. In my opinion, besides the government, the education system also takes an important part to raise people awareness about the real sense of democracy. Our young generation has to understand about the ethics of democracy. Freedom as the vital element of democracy has to be characterized as a loosely and tightly coupled. Loosely could be defined in the sense of people exemption to express thoughts, opinion and action. And tightly could be defined as a pool of freedom that should be respected by people who exercised their freedom. So the freedom that we got has to abide the law and respect to other interests. If the people in this country are fully understand about this and implement this behavior, so there will no people movement that will harm our democracy. And there will no tragedy as we experienced in North Sumatera few days ago.

At the end, the active roles of the government and accompanied by the effectiveness of education system will increase the awareness of the real sense of freedom expressions and also educate them about the ethics of democracy itself. And if it’s not running effectively, I think we need the codes of conducts to construct the comprehensible rules of game of democracy. By having these codes of conducts, I think we would experience the peaceful democracy without sacrificing other victims. And the full-fledged democracy that we’re dreaming of would be achieved. And this is the real democracy that we need, want and wish for.

FRIENDSHIP – The Never Ending Story!

FRIENDSHIP

Friends,, seven magic letters which consist of many meanings. Believe it or not, that term really makes my life so colorful right now. But it was different when I was 13,, years ago, I never made many friends as I have right now, and I always failed in having friends or even dealing with them. Bad experiences just come and go, and it was such a nightmare! Since that day, I promised to myself that I won’t make anyone hurt or even mad of me! The very best thing is,, FORTUNATELY I have a best and greatest childhood friends in my neighborhood. Thanks Ta, Nyo, Mel, Ga,, for giving me so much strength whenever I deep down inside! And from that time, I always keeping in my mind that I have to be nice to everyone, I have to watch my mouth, and my behave. And it really works!

When I was on high school, I became a very cheerful person, friendly person! I don’t know why, but making friends are really makes me so happy! And how I hanging with them is so much fun as I ever thought before. I do have lots of bad experiences before I entered high school, being enemy of the states? Yes I’ve been there. Being envy by everyone? Yes I’ve been there too. My bad bad experiences in making friends really affect my life and my behave. I was so down at that time, when people staring at you with cynical look in everywhere, and what u did is always wrong in front of everyone! Argh,, It really makes me so hurt! And it was the worst memory I’ve ever had! How if u don’t do anything, and people accuse u like u do something bad? How if u feel so bad and wanna cry inside, and everyone just laughing of ur misery?

But high school just saved me away from that awful times. I’m so blessed that I entered that high school, thanks God for giving me one more chance to move on. And yeah, I enjoyed my lifetime there! I was making lots of friends, having so much fun, and also experiencing one of the best love story in my life. Hahaha,, even though until right now, I still don’t get it why could I love him that much! Having lots of friends and wonderful experiences making me more confidence in dealing with everyone. That makes me so convince on myself that I can be a best friend for anyone.

And my story isn’t over yet, my friends are increasing more and more. And it was started when I was entering university. Yeah, I thanked to God once again to made my life so worthy! I was blessed! I never regret that I became one of the students in this so damn university!!! Coz, I have lots of great experiences here! In having friends, having leadership moments, and also having lots of knowledge,, it really fulfills my life! I become a very strong young lady right now, with lots of ammunition on my brain! Hahaha so proud of it! And the most important thing is,, I have lots of GREAT FRIENDS here! I have EIGHT girls who always by my side whenever and wherever I need !!! I owe u so much guys! I have lots of BROTHERS in here (I shouldn’t put ur name on this, but I’m so sure that u know it!), thanks for saving me always BRO! I have the best class on my major,, class of 2005! I’m so proud of being ur leader for a year! I’m so proud to lead all genius people in the world like u guys! I never being so proud like this before,, I’m so happy to be a part of radio, being a part of PM of this university. And I’m so blessed to have this WONDERFUL circumstances!

Friends,, thanks for giving me this such wonderful and worthy experiences of my whole life time. Bad or good, I really enjoyed my time hanging with u, guys! This journey would never end! and it will become the greatest never ending story of my lifetime journey. Friendship would never end!