Conserve Our Environment

This morning I feel the warmth of the sun shine, but the view around me does not make me feel happy.  Do you know why?  It is because the land around me is empty and dry. The hill and the forest which used to be very green, now seem very grey. Most of the trees were taken out by human.  I am so sad, why those human did that without feeling guilty?  Why don’t they love the nature which has become their source of life? Don’t they know that cutting the trees unwisely will damage their own life in the future?  Do you know why I say that? Because cutting the trees carelessly can cause big problems, it will cause flood every where and natural disaster may come unexpectedly.  Forest is the important natural resource for human life. If it is not managed wisely, the forest will be unable to support the next generations. Don’t they realize that?

Tonight I am sitting on a tree branch watching around. I don’t like to see what I see around me.  I am not able to play on the hill anymore. I am imagining the beautiful situation a few years ago, when I still could play with my friends.  How happy I was at that time.  But now, it no longer can happen, because the hill is now dry. The human who live nearby don’t take too much attention about the hill and the forest.

My fate is very unfortunate. My and my friend’s lives are threatened. So are the lives of the tigers, lions, rabbits, wild deer, antelopes, monkeys, and especially orang utans. We are all threatened and there will not be any of our generations that can live in the damaged forest.  And also the fate of the trees…. if they could talk, they will also scream. But the trees can’t protest what humans have done unwisely to them.

Now, I know why humans like to cut the trees unwisely. They want to be rich quickly by exporting the forest products to others countries, and are lazy to think the sustainability of the forest for the next generations to come.  Money, money, and money, that is all what those human always want.  With money they think they can live forever.  They never want to listen to the cries of the forest animals that have lost their living habitat.  For them, other people’s future don’t matter, as long as they can be happy now. They are really greedy.

I can only pray and ask for help from God. The trees cannot do anything.  My friends cannot do anything. Neither can I ….what can I do?  I am just a helpless squirrel, and I can also be killed by human.  I just wish that there were some humans who would care and pay attention to what happen to the forest and its habitat. I wish there will be some human who will re-plant the trees. I wish that I would not wait too long to see the forest become thick, the hill become green again, and the population of my friends increase.

Hopefully human will realize what they have done to the forest and its habitat. They will realize not to take the forest product carelessly. I just wish that the world will become peaceful, where human, animals, and tress live side by side and love each other. What a beautiful and happy live it will be.  Hopefully it still can happen.

Won the 2^nd prize at the National Essay Writing Competition.  Awarded a trophy and a certificate from the Minister of National Education of the Republic of Indonesia.

Kartini – Indonesia’s Woman Hero

Every 21st of April, in Indonesia we celebrate Kartini’s Day. This is the day to remember Kartini, our woman hero, for her struggle to obtain women’s emancipation in Indonesia. Let us talk about Kartini’s work and endless efforts to empower women in Indonesia.

In her time, Kartini has experienced inequality between men and women.  At that time, girls didn’t have access to education and they lived in poverty.  Kartini was extremely concerned about this situation.  She wanted to do something to change it, however, being a woman herself, she certainly had limitations.

Laki-laki dan Perempuan, Sederajatkah?

Permasalahan Peran Jender Yang Menimpangkan Kesederajatan

Kesederajatan laki-laki dan perempuan telah banyak dipertanyakan dan dipermasalahkan sejak lama disebabkan kaum perempuan di banyak belahan bumi ini merasa tidak sederajat dengan kaum laki-laki. Ketidaksederajatan ini telah menimbulkan berbagai bentuk diskriminasi sehingga menimbulkan kerugian pada kaum perempuan di dalam segala aspek kehidupan. Akibatnya timbullah berbagai faham dan gerakan di seluruh dunia yang telah kita dengar seperti women’s liberation, feminisme, emansipasi wanita, women in development, pemberdayaan perempuan dan yang terakhir: kesetaraan jender. Semua ini adalah upaya agar kesetaraan antara kaum laki-laki dan kaum perempuan dapat diperoleh untuk menjamin keadilan serta keselarasan hidup di antara keduanya.

Sayangnya upaya ke arah kesetaraan dan keadilan ini masih menemukan banyak kendala di berbagai tempat di dunia ini. Faktor-faktor yang dianggap sebagai penghambat diantaranya adalah pendidikan yang rendah, kebudayaan, adat istiadat, kehidupan sosial, bahkan pemahaman perintah agama yang keliru.

Serunya Animasi Jepang

Aku memang tidak terlalu mengetahui seluk beluk tentang Jepang, karena aku belum pernah sekalipun menginjakkan kakiku di negeri itu. Tetapi seperti kebanyakan orang, aku tentu paham perihal bunga Sakura, gunung Fujiyama, baju kimono, makanan sushi, kerajinan origami atau olah raga sumo. Namun yang terpenting buat aku adalah bahwa ada banyak para otaku manga dan otaku anime yang bertebaran di seluruh dunia yang semuanya berkiblat ke Jepang!. Kedua istilah tersebut adalah sebutan bagi penggila komik dan film animasi (kartun) Jepang yang sudah demikian populer ke seantero jagad.

Manga dan anime secara garis besar dibagi dalam tiga klasifikasi yaitu shojou berupa kisah-kisah yang disesuaikan dengan selera cewek; shounen yaitu cerita-cerita yang lebih macho dan tentu saja lebih digemari kaum cowok; dan shojou-shounen berupa campuran keduanya. Apapun genre nya, semua digemari masyarakat luas terutama kaum muda.

Sayangilah Alam di Sekitar Kita

Pagi itu kusambut hangatnya sinar mentari. Tapi sayangnya pemandangan di sekitarku tidak membuatku bahagia. Tahu mengapa? Karena aku melihat keadaan di sekelilingku yang tandus dan gersang. Bukit dan hutan yang dulunya hujau sekarang terlihat menyedihkan. Pohon-pohon banyak yang sudah ditebang sembarangan oleh manusia. Aku sedih, mengapa manusia begitu tega dan tidak menyayangi ciptaan Tuhan yang menjadi sumber penghidupan mereka.Tidakkah mereka tahu bahwa menebang pohon secara tidak bijaksana berarti mempertaruhkan hidup mereka sendiri? Tahu mengapa ku berkata demikian? Karenamenebang pohon sembarangan berarti membuat masalah besar yaitu bisa terjadi banjirdi mana-mana dan bencana alam bisa datang tanpa terkira. Hutan merupakan sumber daya alam yang maha penting untuk kehidupan manusia dan makhluk Tuhan yang lain seperti hewan. Tidak mengelolanya dengan bijaksana, berarti hutan tidak dapat terus memberi penghidupan kepada anak cucu mereka. Tidakkah mereka sadar akan hal itu?