Pemegang Beasiswa AusAid Mundur

[Mahendra Siregar]

Saudara-saudara Permias,   Mungkin ada hal-hal yang dapat kita teladani dari Agus Wahyudi, pemegang beasiswa Ausaid di Australian National University, yang mengundurkan diri. Disatu pihak saya sangat menyayangkan dia sampai mengundurkan diri demikian, namun dilain pihak saya sangat menghormati sikapnya itu.   Merdeka! Mahendra Siregar     ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 14 Sep 1999 00:07:38 +1000 From: agus wahyudi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: mengundurkan diri/pamit Rekan HPPIA, Saya memutuskan untuk mengundurkan diri dari tugas belajar di Australia dengan beberapa pertimbangan. Pernyataan penguduran diri yang saya lampirkan berikut (dan telah saya sampaikan ke kepala jurusan dan ke AusAid) menjelaskan alasan mengapa saya mengambil keputusan ini. Tentu alasan ini bukan satu-satunya tapi adalah yang saya anggap paling penting. Jadi tinggal tugas saya untuk pamit dan minta maaf karena saya pasti pernah keliru (termasuk mungkin dengan keputusan ini). Tapi inilah yang sekarang saya percayai: ditengah hingar bingar suara-suara dominan, the "silenced-voices" perlu didesakkan-desakkan di Asutralia sekarang ini. Jadi, bagi yang kelak mau mampir ke Yogya, berkirim surat (atau mau kirim wesel) misalnya, bisa mengingat dengan berbagai cara alamat berikut ini: (R): Wisma Puas Jl. Tlogo Putri, Kaliurang, Yogyakarta Ph: 895230 (K) Fakultas Filsafat Universitas Gadjah Mada Bulaksumur-Yogyakarta Ph: 901198 Selamat bekerja agus wahyudi (Alamat di Australia sampai akhir bulan ini: No. 2, Block 3 Bega Court, Braddon, ACT 2612 PH: 62628736 *********************************** STATEMENT OF WIHDRAWAL         Under various considerations and after listening to the views of several advisers and friends, finally I decide to discontinue my study in Australia for the following reasons: While I am very aware of the unacceptable realities in East Timor as reported by Australian mass media and understand the position that the Australian government has taken vis-à-vis Indonesia, both of which, may be based on concerns on the problems of violence and the violations of human rights in East Timor, I personally feel that there have been serious imbalances and excessive aggressiveness in the Australian mass-media reporting and the impurity of their motives in defending the human rights. It is my view that Australian government and Australian media have become unfair to Indonesia in the case of East Timor in various occasions.  Based on the above perception, I profoundly feel uncomfortable and vigourously convinced that it would be unjustified for me to study in Australia at the moment and therefore I decide to withdraw myself from studying at the Australian National University. Just like what the world monetary institutions and some other countries do, the Australian government has also exploited the giving of aids to Indonesia as an instrument to pressure Indonesian government regarding the problems of East Timor, which in my view, is unacceptable. As an Indonesian student receiving a scholarship from the Australian government to study in Australia, I am personally offended by such aggressiveness and unjust treatments, thus, the decision to withdraw from studying in Australia should be seen as a protest against such unacceptable behaviours. It must be noted that this decision should not be interpreted as a manifestation of a blinded nationalistic sentiment which undermines the importance of human rights in East Timor. I severely condemn the Indonesian military actions that have brought about violences, atrocities and killings in East Timor and other parts of Indonesia. I also respect the choice that the East Timorese have taken to be separated from Indonesia as I believe that it is the right of the East Timorese to have an independent country. Sincerely, Agus Wahyudi