Seeds of nationhood

It could be blamed on the weekend, the fragile security situation or the myriad of problems Indonesia is now facing. Whatever the reason, it is regrettable that the commemoration of the 1928 Youth Pledge, passed almost unnoticed by the average Indonesian on Sunday. The fact is that their visionary oath, formulated and proclaimed by a few youthful Indonesian leaders, is still relevant -- now possibly more than at any other time in this country's history.

It is, of course, purely coincidental that this year's commemorations fall on exactly the same day as an important historic event 56 years ago. On Saturday, Oct. 27, 1928, Indonesian leaders, all still very much in the prime of their lives, convened in Jakarta to discuss matters relevant to the emerging sense of national cohesion among the diverse groups that inhabit the extensive archipelago.

Not too many details are publicly known about the Oct. 27 talks in Jakarta -- or rather Batavia as this city was called -- to discuss the future course of the nation-to-be. The final results of the deliberations were made public the following day, Sunday, Oct. 28, 1928, in a venue on Jl. Kramat Raya, which is currently preserved as a monument and museum dedicated to that event. The document bears the weight of such momentous importance to Indonesia as a nation that it has continued to reverberate across the archipelago throughout the decades.

In essence, the document constituted a declaration of the commitment of the youth of this country to dedicate themselves to the realization of three major principles: That they belonged to one undivided Indonesian nation, that Indonesia was their country and Bahasa Indonesia their common language. Considering that few people at that time could foresee the birth of a free Indonesia, the visionary nature of their declaration is immediately apparent.

In colonial times -- in this case from the 1930s onwards through the 1940s -- commemorations of this event remained subdued. Since Indonesia achieved its independence in 1945 Youth Pledge Day has been observed every year in various ways. Lamentably, observances of that historic event have usually been held with much pomp and ceremony, but little soul.

While in the early years of national independence it seemed that the nation had triumphed and had achieved -- or at least was close to achieving -- the ideal of national unity and cohesion as conveyed by the 1928 Youth Pledge, at present it is difficult to escape the impression that Indonesians are drifting further and further away from realizing that dream.

What can one say about national cohesion, for example, when settlers from Madura -- even those whose forebears have lived there for several generations and can no longer identify themselves with the island of Madura off the East Java coast -- are driven out of parts of Kalimantan, often in acts of violence so gruesome it is hard to believe they can occur in these modern times? And what about the insistence of the indigenous population in certain areas of this archipelago that key positions, either in government or in businesses, are reserved for locals only? And what can one say about the clashes of religious, ethnic and societal groups that have occurred in many places across this country?

More examples can be given. But the point here is it is important for Indonesians to remember that national unity and national cohesion are not things that can be taken for granted, but must be seriously worked for. This is an important point to stress, especially now that the central government in Jakarta has committed itself to grant far-reaching autonomous rights to the regions.

A good first step toward correcting those wrongs is for Indonesians to admit that inequality in development and in the distribution of wealth and opportunities have in the past been the most potent fuel, igniting dissatisfaction, separatist tendencies and strife. Let us hope that the lesson has been well learned.