Violent Swadesi

“Boycott US products”
“Condemn Israel”
“Freed Lebanon”

That was some slogans we use to see in the media regarding the protests against Israel and it supporters (US and UK) that striking Southern Lebanon with no mercy despite of the enormous casualties on the civilian side.
The so called ‘Indonesian Swadesi” turned not to be a moral movement, rather it was becoming a political tool that (mostly if not always) have two face, hypocrisy you may say.
And this Swadesi has lost it meaning both internally and externally in Indonesia. Internal factors that affecting why such movement fails to be a sustainable culture and happened occasionally as the representation of disappointment.
External factors take the most influential role why this movement becoming only lip service among the protesters. It’s funny to see that the protesters yelling the slogan from Ford cars, wearing jeans and so much American oriented. We drove our cars with fuel from Exxon and Chevron, using electricity from US company, et cetera et cetera.
Has the Swadesi lost it meaning in this country? The pioneer in Swadesi as we all know is Mahatma Gandhi who refuse to use any kind of British product, from silk to cars, from food to dolls. The effect is definite, with all Indian nation on the same level and poor product diversification makes this movement a lighthouse to the outer world, repressing British government to withdraw their occupation on India.
We saw in Makassar, customers dragged out from a US affiliated fast food restaurants with the same sentiment yet different approach. The real Swadesi not forcing others to believe in what one believe, and not to create anarchy when it is not popular.
The violent Swadesi I prefer to call the occasional act, it is the mixture representation of poverty, unemployment, blind nationalism, and frustration.
It is better for us not to yell the slogans yet we make fool of ourselves. Fix your morale first and then do good deeds to others rather than acting like criminals.

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Published:
09.08.06 / 12pm
Category:
Indonesiana, Social