Beware of divisive sentiment<\/p>\n
There should be no place for racial prejudice by citizens of
\nthis country against fellow citizens. The preamble of Indonesia's
\n1945 Constitution clearly states that one of the nation's duties
\nis to protect all the people. This statement is placed ahead of
\ndefending the fatherland, or advancing the general welfare and
\nintellectual life of the citizenry, though the latter ideals are
\nno less important.<\/p>\n
As a unitary nation, we should not think in divisive terms,
\nloyal only to our own particular "tribe," "race" or ethnicity.
\nArab-Indonesian, Chinese-Indonesians, Indian-Indonesian,
\nEuropean-Indonesian, as well as what are usually called
\n"indigenous" Indonesians: Batak, Minangkabau, Balinese, Timorese,
\nSundanese, Javanese, Jakartans, Irianese, Ambonese and all the
\nrest, live together in this country.<\/p>\n
Indonesian unity is an ideal, and it is truly a worthwhile
\ncause. How else can we achieve the peace and harmony needed to
\nbuild a strong economic base and advance living standards? If for
\nexample, Sundanese hated Javanese, or vice versa, and conflict
\nsituations existed, on a nationwide scale, Indonesia might as
\nwell be 300 different countries, or some similar number. But the
\nfact is, we aren't.<\/p>\n
I will remind those who doubt we have gradually been
\nsuccessful in forging a national unity, by pointing out there
\nhave been numerous mixed marriages among various ethnic groups.
\nThe offspring of an Acehnese man and a Manadonese woman -- to
\ntake an example I personally know about -- can be nothing other
\nthan Indonesian. It was part fun and part experiment for me, some
\nyears ago, to ask schoolchildren in the town of Waikabubak on
\nSumba island, who Indonesia's first vice president was. Those
\nkids immediately knew, using Indonesian, the same language I used
\nto communicate with them.<\/p>\n
Last May 15 -- the day after the massive riots in Jakarta -- I
\nwas walking through a side alley in my neighborhood and noticed
\nsome newly scrawled racist graffiti on a wall. Somebody had
\nwritten hate slogans and I made a plan to visit a paint shop
\nafter the situation had calmed down (perhaps later in the month)
\nto spray-paint over those words.<\/p>\n
I needn't have bothered. Two days later, in the afternoon, I
\ncame across a Betawi (Jakartan) neighborhood elder with his two
\nsons, who had brushes and a can to paint away the offensive
\nwords. They told me that someone from outside our area had been
\ntrying to sow hatred in the neighborhood. I am telling this story
\nto show that not all Indonesians have ethnic loathing in their
\nhearts. Unity is still an ideal for many enough citizens, it
\nseems. But let us beware of divisive forces at work in our
\nsociety that tend to undermine that unity.<\/p>\n
FARID BASKORO<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/beware-of-divisive-sentiment-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }