Everyone... Stop Fighting.

Kept reading about the russian hostage tragedy. I can't help feel saddened by what happenned. There is no justifiable reason for killing, or even attempting to kill civilians.

This goes for every one on this planet. From the so called 'muslim' terrorist, to the so called 'heroes of justice' US Army. Violence only begets violence. Once any kind of violence starts, it is revenge.. revenge... revenge. A lot of the happenings in this world is based on just that. The terrorist hostage situation in russia, was in part revenge. They kill our sons and daughters, we kill their sons and daughters.

Revenge... It's easy to see the other side's mistakes, it's harder to see our own. America, Russia, the Chechens, Israel, and yes even the Palestines always feel that they are the victim. We would rather blame the other side, it's always their fault isn't it?

Guess what? We're not little children fighting over a toy anymore. Life is not simple. There are hundreds of reasons why a particular event has happenned. By generalizing them to a select few, we fail to emphatize and understand the other side. We have failed to reason. We have failed at peace.

Stop fighting. Let us have peace.

Overseas Students

When talking to most (not all, just most) Indonesian students taking their graduate degrees overseas, you can't help to be optimistic about Indonesia's future. These people talk about creating a better Indonesia in which everyone will prosper (which incidentally is part of the opening of Indonesia's constitution).

Whether through social changes, process changes, or through technological changes these people I've spoken to wants to contribute to change. One talks about changing education, one talks about changing the research setting, another one talks about changing the processes at Indonesia's civil servants. When every one starts to create these small changes, it will eventually add up to an improvement on life in Indonesia.

Of course, thinking about change and actually implementing change is two different things. So when you see us in Indonesia, and we're twiddling our thumbs, just sitting doing nothing, not contributing to change. Remind us of our pact.

The Russia Hostage Situation

344 killed in russia, 155 of them children after a hostage standoff that lasted for three whole days. A tragic waste of lives. Condolences to the russian families that lost their loved ones.
Terrorism must stop. No more attacks against civilians.
The end does not justify the means.