An East Indonesia state?

An East Indonesia state?

From Media Indonesia

The unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia stretching from Sabang to Merauke was established with the sacrifice of blood and the lives of heroes from the whole country, including East Indonesia.

As the younger generation we must continue the struggle of the heroes by safeguarding the whole territory of our fatherland.

A just government is one of the absolute conditions in maintaining the unity of the territory. Therefore, if the government is unjust, logically a demand for justice must be submitted to the government.

The demand for establishing an East Indonesia state (by a certain group in a limited number) is clearly not the right action. This would be the same as ignoring the struggle of our heroes, including those form East Indonesia, in the establishment of the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia.

I would like to invite all Indonesian people to do without the notion of ethnicity. Let us be aware that we are all Indonesians. If the government is unjust let us (from the whole Indonesian territory) criticize the government peacefully about its unfairness while we are guided by the national spirit.

Look at them living in Jakarta. Until now Jakarta has never had an ethnic Betawi as governor. The native Betawi inhabitants have been pushed to the peripheral areas, but Jakarta has never demanded independence because that is not what needs to be claimed.

We are Indonesians with the spirit of reform. What we need to do is to ward off the influence of certain status quo groups which try to stir up the spirit of ethnicity and disintegration in the interest of their political careers.

I support demands made to the government to bring justice to the whole of Indonesia, including the East Indonesia region.

THURSAN H.

Jakarta