Seeds of nationhood
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.