Siang tadi selepas shalat Jumat saya langsung kembali ke kantor karena akan ada briefing. Selesai briefing saya kembali ke meja saya dan ketika saya melewati meja salah satu rekan, saya membaca artikel dibawah ini mengenai sekilas pandang yang terjadi saat A SHORT WALK dari Hotel Homman menuju ke Gedung Merdeka. Short Walk atau jalan pendek itu adalah napak tilas dari apa yang terjadi pada tahun 1955.
Menarik untuk dicermati adalah perbedaan yang mendasar yang terjadi ketika short walk dilakukan pada tahun 1955 (saya pernah melihat photonya di Musium KAA di Gedung Merdeka; sebagai anak yang dilahirkan dan besar di Bandung sampai SMA, dari mulai SD, SMP dan SMA tiap-tiap tahunnya selalu ada kunjungan ke Musium ini) dan yang dilakukan sekarang, 50 tahun kemudian.
Dari photo yang saya lihat, saya dapat gambaran bahwa pada masa itu para pemimpin bangsa yang berkumpul, berjalan bersama sambil nampaknya berceloteh riang, melambaikan tangannya ke rakyat Indonesia yang berdiri dipinggiran Jalan Asia Afrika, tidak ada pembatas, tidak ada perbedaan yang menyolok antara si rakyat dan sang pemimpin. Semua tampaknya bersatu seolah ada dalam satu pesta rakyat besar.
Pun kemudian saya mendengar cerita dari almarhum Ayah saya (yang pada waktu itu masih dinas di AD dan bertugas di salah satu posko pengamanan) dan juga cerita dari Bunda, suasana Bandung saat itu sangat meriah, semua orang ikut menyambut para pemimpin bangsa yang berkumpul, semua orang larut dalam kegembiraan, semua orang bangga bahwa negaranya adalah salah satu pelopor dari satu persatuan negara-negara terbesar di dunia setelah PBB.
Yang terjadi sekarang sangat berbeda 180 derajat dari apa yang terjadi 50 tahun yang lalu. Cobalah baca artikel kecil dari The Jakarta Post dibawah ini :
A SHORT WALK, A FAR CRY FROM HISTORY
They came from different countries and spoke different languages. Many were distinctive in their couture. In any other forum they could have been at odds with each other, in defense of contradicting political ideologies.
But, for a brief few minutes at least, the most prominent leaders of Asia and Africa showed that geography and skin color could not prevent them from walking in harmony. If it were not for all the fanfare and zealous security, they could have been just regular folk walking down Bandung's most famous street.
Sunday's 50-meter walk to the Merdeka Building was arguably the apex of the meetings and summits of Asian and African leaders that have taken place over the past week.
It was sight that may not be repeated in our lifetime.
Most wore strained smiles, while some chatted as they rubbed shoulders. An occasional wave was made as cheeky journalists shouted out a leader's name.
Shouts of "Koizumi! Koizumi!" were greeted with a surprised turn of the head and raised hand by the Japanese Prime Minister.
But what should have been a solemn walk to retrace the steps of their forefathers in 1955 seemed more like a hurried trot. Despite the pomp, the historical walk of 2005 felt unceremonious, ending all too quickly without fully absorbing the atmosphere. The actual event simply did not measure up the hype.
The various cultural performances strategically placed along the way hardly got a glance, despite their best efforts to impress the procession of world leaders headed by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Maybe it was because the procession was led by a former general, who set a cracking pace for the four-minute walk, or maybe it was the desire to get out of the hout sun. It was certainly not the leisurely stride required for a contemplation of history.
For many of these leaders, the walk was quite possible something they had not experienced since their youth. Where else would state leaders be forced to walk 50-meters in the hot sun without someone holding an umbrella over them ?
One person who did not seem to mind the sun was Afghanistan's Hamid Karzai who was not wearing his trademark astrakhan hat to cover his bare bald head.
Unlike the documentary film of international delegates arriving at the 1955 conference in an atmosphere of enthusiasm, Sunday's commemorative walk was devoid of mystique and innocence. This was a staged event, deemed 'historic' by virtue of state decree.
The enthusiastice lines of well-wishers that greeted delegates in 1955 were replaced by regiments of bureaucrats, journalists and security personnel. The ordinary people of Bandung were kept at bay some 100 meters distant.
-Meidyatama Suryodiningrat, April 25 2005, The Jakarta Post, Bandung-
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