Seeds of nationhood<\/p>\n
It could be blamed on the weekend, the fragile security
\nsituation or the myriad of problems Indonesia is now facing.
\nWhatever the reason, it is regrettable that the commemoration of
\nthe 1928 Youth Pledge, passed almost unnoticed by the average
\nIndonesian on Sunday. The fact is that their visionary oath,
\nformulated and proclaimed by a few youthful Indonesian leaders,
\nis still relevant -- now possibly more than at any other time in
\nthis country's history.<\/p>\n
It is, of course, purely coincidental that this year's
\ncommemorations fall on exactly the same day as an important
\nhistoric event 56 years ago. On Saturday, Oct. 27, 1928,
\nIndonesian leaders, all still very much in the prime of their
\nlives, convened in Jakarta to discuss matters relevant to the
\nemerging sense of national cohesion among the diverse groups that
\ninhabit the extensive archipelago.<\/p>\n
Not too many details are publicly known about the Oct. 27
\ntalks in Jakarta -- or rather Batavia as this city was called --
\nto discuss the future course of the nation-to-be. The final
\nresults of the deliberations were made public the following day,
\nSunday, Oct. 28, 1928, in a venue on Jl. Kramat Raya, which is
\ncurrently preserved as a monument and museum dedicated to that
\nevent. The document bears the weight of such momentous importance
\nto Indonesia as a nation that it has continued to reverberate
\nacross the archipelago throughout the decades.<\/p>\n
In essence, the document constituted a declaration of the
\ncommitment of the youth of this country to dedicate themselves to
\nthe realization of three major principles: That they belonged to
\none undivided Indonesian nation, that Indonesia was their country
\nand Bahasa Indonesia their common language. Considering that few
\npeople at that time could foresee the birth of a free Indonesia,
\nthe visionary nature of their declaration is immediately
\napparent.<\/p>\n
In colonial times -- in this case from the 1930s onwards
\nthrough the 1940s -- commemorations of this event remained
\nsubdued. Since Indonesia achieved its independence in 1945 Youth
\nPledge Day has been observed every year in various ways.
\nLamentably, observances of that historic event have usually been
\nheld with much pomp and ceremony, but little soul.<\/p>\n
While in the early years of national independence it seemed
\nthat the nation had triumphed and had achieved -- or at least was
\nclose to achieving -- the ideal of national unity and cohesion as
\nconveyed by the 1928 Youth Pledge, at present it is difficult to
\nescape the impression that Indonesians are drifting further and
\nfurther away from realizing that dream.<\/p>\n
What can one say about national cohesion, for example, when
\nsettlers from Madura -- even those whose forebears have lived
\nthere for several generations and can no longer identify
\nthemselves with the island of Madura off the East Java coast --
\nare driven out of parts of Kalimantan, often in acts of violence
\nso gruesome it is hard to believe they can occur in these modern
\ntimes? And what about the insistence of the indigenous population
\nin certain areas of this archipelago that key positions, either
\nin government or in businesses, are reserved for locals only? And
\nwhat can one say about the clashes of religious, ethnic and
\nsocietal groups that have occurred in many places across this
\ncountry?<\/p>\n
More examples can be given. But the point here is it is
\nimportant for Indonesians to remember that national unity and
\nnational cohesion are not things that can be taken for granted,
\nbut must be seriously worked for. This is an important point to
\nstress, especially now that the central government in Jakarta has
\ncommitted itself to grant far-reaching autonomous rights to the
\nregions.<\/p>\n
A good first step toward correcting those wrongs is for
\nIndonesians to admit that inequality in development and in the
\ndistribution of wealth and opportunities have in the past been
\nthe most potent fuel, igniting dissatisfaction, separatist
\ntendencies and strife. Let us hope that the lesson has been well
\nlearned.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/seeds-of-nationhood-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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