Raise the Red-and-White, Not White Flag

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

The pedicab drivers work together to arrange a series of miniature red and white flags made of plastic on Jalan Medika, Bogor City, West Java, Friday (13/8/2021). The spirit of celebrating the 76th Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia can still be seen by a number of people from various groups, even though they are still in a pandemic situation.

The Covid-19 pandemic is the worst pandemic in more than 100 years, paralyzing entire economies. However, we must not give up.

The health crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has surely pierced our hearts. More than 206 million people in the world are sick or dying, while 4.3 million people have lost their lives, including people in Indonesia.

We are mentally exhausted and feel sick to our stomachs, because at any given time we could receive news that the people closest to us have been affected, from close family members to neighbors, relatives, coworkers and friends.

The prolonged impacts on the economy are no less exhausting. In fact, economists’ hopes for the future of the economy have been shattered. Many are beginning to doubt the chances of a relatively fast recovery (V-shaped recovery), even a repeat recession towards recovery (W-shaped recovery).

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The pandemic that has lasted 1.5 years has led to a belief that economic recovery may come in a U-shaped curve, like the Nike logo, with a sharp decline followed by a long slowdown before a rebound. Alternatively, the economy will pick back up, but never return to its previous level. This pessimistic perspective disregards the possibility that a sharp economic downturn will be followed by growth (L-shaped recovery).

This would be devastating to daily life because more and more people around us are having difficulty earning money just to put food on the table. Some have suddenly lost their jobs, while others did not get their contracts extended or were simply laid off. Those who work in the informal sector are finding it even more difficult to earn a daily income. As soon as a generous donor wants to help, tears begin to flow as the pressure of suffering that has been crushing them is relieved.

In response to this difficult situation, many have raised the white flag of surrender. There are also those who are venting their anger on the internet and in real life, accusing whomever may be at fault, usually the government.

Challenging

By observing the development of Covid-19 in the top 25 most populous countries in the world, from China with a population of 1.38 billion people to Myanmar with a population of 54.4 million people, it is clear that handling the Covid-19 pandemic is no easy feat.

Apart from China, many other developed countries are also struggling to control the pandemic. The daily reports of confirmed Covid-19 cases per 1 million population is extremely volatile. The No. 1 slot is currently claimed by Iran (444.85), followed by the United Kingdom, the US, France, Thailand and Turkey, while Indonesia is in the 13th slot. Several developed countries have previously occupied the top slot, namely Italy, the US, South Korea, Russia, Brazil, France, the UK and Turkey.

The toughest problem Indonesia currently faces is the high fatality rate. As of 13 Aug. 2021, Indonesia ranks second among the world’s 25 most populous countries with 5.79 Covid-19 deaths per 1 million population. Iran is still in the first slot with 6.22 deaths per 1 million population. The third, fourth and fifth slots are occupied by South Africa, Russia and Myanmar, respectively.

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In terms of vaccination coverage for people receiving at least the first dose of the vaccine, Indonesia ranks 14th with 19.24 percent. The top ranking is occupied by the UK with 69.55 percent, followed by France, Italy, Germany and the US, one of the world’s top vaccine producers.

Indonesia’s greatest challenge is to increase testing and tracing. Indonesia is far behind on these fronts. In the last few weeks, under the leadership of Coordinating Maritime and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan and Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, testing and tracing efforts have been intensified by involving the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police, as well as community organizations and universities. However, the implementation has not been as easy as it might appear. There are limiting conditions in terms of human resources, funding, technology and geography.

Never give up

These complexities do not mean we can allow ourselves to become exhausted and just give up. Indonesian Independence Day falls on 17 Aug. 2021 and should embolden the nation to rise together, tighten our ranks and work hand in hand against SARS-CoV-2, which has been bombarding this country for more than a year and a half.

The long history of this country, from its colonial, pre-independence to post-independence eras, clearly shows that Indonesia is not a nation that gives up easily. Over the past century, the country was even deemed brilliant, as Mohammad Hatta wrote in one of his speeches.

This unyielding spirit has been noted by many parties, from among the ranks of the central and regional governments, and from the business world as well as various other walks of society, especially the health workers who are at the forefront of the country’s efforts to overcome this pandemic.

It is the spirit of the “Red and White” that unites us all. Red symbolizes courage and white symbolizes purity.

The same applies to security officers disciplining the public to adhere to the health protocols and reduce their movements. Even though such work is taxing and risks their health, they continue to do their jobs.

In his June 1945 speech, Hatta also said: “The first requirement for a nation to become independent is to realize that we are one unified nation, namely the Indonesian nation, in this homeland. Let go of the pride of belonging to a small group with separate interests. The interests of all must take precedence over the interests of a few.”

It is the spirit of the “Red and White” that unites us all. Red symbolizes courage and white symbolizes purity. Through the Majapahit era, the war against colonialism and the struggle for independence, the Red-and-White has continued to wave. And it is no exception in this fight against the pandemic.

This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia.