Youth Pledge Day celebrated in style<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The 67th anniversary of Youth Pledge Day was
\ncelebrated yesterday in grand style at the Jakarta Convention
\nCenter.<\/p>\n
Dances and patriotic songs enliven the celebration where Vice
\nPresident Try Sutrisno and numerous cabinet ministers were among
\nthe 5,000 young people on hand.<\/p>\n
In his speech, Try reminded the youths of the latent danger of
\ncommunism and the need to nurture the Indonesian unity that the
\nyounger generation helped pioneer long before the country
\nproclaimed its independence in 1945.<\/p>\n
The ceremony was held in remembrance of a historic event which
\ntook place on Oct. 28, 1928, when youths of various ethnic and
\nreligious backgrounds, from different islands, pledged to unite
\nfor an independent nation called Indonesia.<\/p>\n
They pledged to have one nation, one official Indonesian
\nlanguage.<\/p>\n
Try also presented awards to 25 youths for their outstanding
\ncontribution to the development of the nation. Among the
\nrecipients was actor Rano Karno, who is considered successful in
\ndeveloping the culture of Betawi -- Jakarta's indigenous
\ncommunity.<\/p>\n
In the Taman Ismail Marzuki Cultural Center, about 100
\nactivists grouped in the \"Indonesian Opposition\" celebrated Youth
\nPledge Day in their own style.<\/p>\n
The celebration joined students and laborers who donned white
\nheadbands printed with the word \"opposition\", distributed by the
\norganizing committee. They were activists from organizations such
\nas the Indonesian Front for the Defense of Human Rights, Pijar,
\nAldera and the Prosperous Labor Union, all critical of the
\ngovernment.<\/p>\n
As a crowd gathered around a simple podium, Nia, a member of
\nthe Indonesia Anti-Nuclear Society, opened the celebration by
\nyelling \"Long live the opposition; long live students; long live
\nworkers; long live farmers; and long live the people.\"<\/p>\n
The crowd then sang the national anthem, Indonesia Raya, which
\nwas followed by speeches from representatives of non-governmental
\norganizations which took part in the event.<\/p>\n
In their statement made available to the press, the opposition
\ngroup demanded an end to what they saw as worsening corruption,
\nmilitary intervention in labor disputes and nepotism in the
\nbureaucracy.<\/p>\n
They also demanded the abolition of five laws on election,
\npolitical organizations, legislative bodies and referendum, which
\nthey said were \"hampering\" democratization in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The whole event went smoothly under the watchful eyes of
\npolicemen from the Menteng police station, although the
\norganizing committee had not asked permission from the center's
\nmanagement to stage the celebration there.<\/p>\n
\"They should have asked for the center's permission,\" a police
\nofficer said. (31\/pan\/msa)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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