Indonesia is a great country, but why do some people from other countries see Indonesia as a horrible country?

Aduh, here we go again…

Some people... how many?

So, the author of the question acknowledges that Indonesia is a great country, but that some people view it as a horrible country. This is true, but out of the 7 billion people of earth, how many see our country as horrible? Is it 1%... 70 million people? Have Indonesian leaders over the last seven decades committed serious crimes against humanity? Of course, some people will point to what happened in East Timor as an atrocity, but how about we ask which country has not committed atrocities during their history. When we talk about countries which are guilty of serious wrong doing, are we talking about 99%+ of the population, or are we talking about their leaders?

Which country is not horrible?

What about so-called civilized, developed countries? What about recent history when Iraq was invaded and almost destroyed based on a deliberate lie by intelligence agencies... leading to the death of 100s of thousands, if not over a million of innocent Iraqi men, women and children.

What about slavery of millions of Africans... who was responsible? How about the current trafficking of millions of women and children, one of the worst crimes being perpetrated in the 21st century. Which countries are the primary recipients of trafficked victims, and which countries are the victims of trafficking? Some may not agree with me, but many countries in Asia and Africa are victims of organized international crime syndicates which trade in drugs, women and children. Has Indonesia done horrible things... of course, but who has the right to cast the first stone, which country can claim to be innocent?

Are Indonesians guilty?

Here is what Indonesia is really guilty of, in fact what Indonesian people are guilty of... please hear me out.

One of the biggest reasons why people may perceive Indonesia as a horrible country is because they simply do not know about us. Ignorance creates fear and misunderstanding. What we don’t know and what we are simply programmed to believe, we are naturally afraid of. Most people overseas have heard about Bali, and see the island as a place to relax and have a great time. Many people overseas have no idea of Indonesia as a country, don’t even know where it is, or the name of it’s capital city. Many people may know that Indonesia has the largest Muslim population on earth, and some people view Islam as a religion which promotes terrorism... nothing is further from the truth. For centuries, Christian extremists have promoted wars, such as over a hundred years of conflict in Northern Ireland between the Protestants and the IRA (Catholics), the KKK white supremacists (US), and numerous other examples. All religions have faced and still face serious problems... it’s simply part of human existence.Extremism is everywhere in religion, politics, social injustice, and numerous other areas in society. No country, religion or any other component of society is free of being guilty of doing horrible things. Maybe, if we are guilty it’s because we are silent... we just don’t speak out.

What can Indonesians do?

Maybe we should argue that Indonesian people are guilty in not believing enough in their own country, and not sharing their cultures, lifestyles, and yes... religions, with the global community. Do we have problems with social inequality, religious tensions, pollution, etc.? Of course we have those problems, but look at the current unrest and ongoing serious problems in the western world. Now is the opportunity for Indonesians to sell or market our country to the wider world, and explain to the global community about our beautiful land, and explain why we have our own unique problems (common to a young democracy). Explain to millions of people why you are a Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu or atheist, and share with people what it’s really like to live in one of the greatest countries on earth. Tell people how you live everyday, what you believe in, and why. If you are an Indonesian, or permanently living here (like me), educate and inform the world about the real Indonesia... the new Indonesia. You would be surprised that many people worldwide who have been programmed to stereotype Indonesia as an overcrowded, polluted Muslim country, actually want to know about who you really are. Indonesia is one of the world’s best kept secrets. It’s about time we changed this scenario and make our voices heard. We have the right to exist and live on this planet as much as any other country, and as an Indonesian, you have the right to fight ignorance and misinformation.

Indonesians, do you want to keep your country?

Regardless of our problems... which is better. To live in a globalized world in which there is a one world currency, one world religion, one world language, one world culture, no borders, a controlling non-voted elite, a globalized AI system, etc. Or alternatively, in a world where unique cultures, currencies, religions, values, etc., are part of everyday life. Do you want to belong to a country, have your own culture, currency and beliefs, or do you want to be a nameless human being under an unelected globalized control system? Maybe, that’s what Brexit, Trump, Yellow vests, and numerous other global issues are all about. It’s about ordinary (extraordinary) people like you and me wanting to have a country which we are proud of, to protect our cultures, to keep the beliefs and identities which belong to us, and to value each Indonesian as a unique individual. Although it is an increasingly important part of the global village, Indonesia is still a unique and mysterious land. It has unique characteristics which are common to only Indonesia. One of them is the Indonesian’s natural warmth and friendliness... it’s one of the reasons why Bali is so popular. People argue that it’s because I’m a bule that I think Indonesians are friendly. This is nonsense... my wife and kids are Indonesian (or at least my kids are hybrid... half Indonesian) and they treasure the natural warmth and friendliness which Indonesians are famous for. When I wear a helmet and goggles and go to a kampung (village), or into a warung (small shop) in an Indonesian city, I’m invisible as a bule and yet the warm friendship is everywhere... it’s almost overwhelming.

Indonesians, do you want to make yourself heard?

It’s about time our country began to punch above it’s weight. It’s about time Indonesians make their voices heard. If English is the universal language used in internationally-based business, politics and social media, then more Indonesians need to learn English and be able to speak and write fluently so that they can share their views and knowledge with the wider world. No more excuses. You can access English movies on local TV, read newspapers and books, surf the internet, or communicate with people who speak and write fluently in English. We have the internet... use it. You can become fluent in English if you really want to… it’s about how determined you are, how much you want to make a difference. [email protected] Poverty, the lack of good education and infrastructure, and other issues which are common to this country should be not used as excuses... it’s a cheap way out!

Check out how a 16-year old kampung kid with zero English became fluent and within 2 years earned over 30 million Rupiah a month using English. Rod Pallister's answer to How good are Indonesians in speaking English, their accent and fluency? If we as a people don’t learn to learn the skills and create awareness, the world will remain largely ignorant and perhaps biased towards us. You have a voice... just use it.

You may not agree with everything written here. We are all blessed by our Creator with the ability to think for ourselves and come to our own opinions... diversity of opinions is what makes us rich and unique. So regardless if you agree with me or not, at least do something so that your homeland is not regarded as a horrible country, but a place to discover, a place to learn about a unique people and cultures, and yes, educate the world about your religion. If it’s important you, then say why.

Indonesians, how much do you love your country?

Maybe, it’s our fault if the global community do not know about our beautiful country, or if some people thing our country is horrible. So why not...

Share with the world about your country.

Share with the world about your own faith.

Share with the world about your own culture.

Share with the world about your own values.

Share with the world about what it’s like to be an Indonesian.

If you don’t, who will?

If you have a voice, make yourselves heard... it’s the right thing to do, it’s the only way to be.

Let’s unlock the front door to our incredible home, and invite the world in.

I’ve made my voice heard... I’m not going to stop because I love this country so much.

What about you?

If you love your home, then fight for it, take care of it, love it... our children trust us to do the right thing.

Over to you, it’s your turn, I really want to know what you think...

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