State of the nation address from a roving flag vendor

Kornelius Purba, The Jakarta Post

If he were to read and understand the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, this man would not be complaining about people's apathy and would not likely heavily invest in a high-risk business.

The middle-aged roving flag and flagpole vendor, grumbled to a woman who said his flag was too expensive. "Look, nobody cares about Independence Day now. Where is the people's pride as Indonesians?"

For most of this week, the Sundanese vendor complained that he could only sell an average of one flag a day, fewer compared to five last year. And much lower than his sales 10 years ago, when Indonesia celebrated its 50th Independence Day.

"They are not ashamed to use their dirty, old flags!"

After explaining that he had not had lunch because there had been no buyers all morning, he soon was able to buy a bowl of instant noodles from a nearby warung (stall) after the woman eventually bought a medium-sized flag. The 60th Independence Day commemoration will likely be disastrous for him, because there is only a slim chance that he will be able to repay his loan to the money-lender that gave him the money for the flags.

People living in Jakarta can easily sense that the 60th Independence Day commemoration is not comparable to 10 years ago, or even to the 2004 festivities. Last year, people were joyful because they were expecting a new president, whom they would directly elect one month later. There were high expectations at that time that Gen. (ret) Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would win the election and the nation would be better off.

On Wednesday, the nation celebrated its 60th Independence Day. It is a milestone, but people are responding in a cool way so far. Why? Are people losing their sense of nationalism, as the vendor theorized?

Ten years ago, The Jakarta Post reported that over one million people attended kenduri nasional (national thanksgiving day) at the National Monument Square (Monas) as the climax of the week- long golden anniversary celebration.

At that time, the country's economic growth was at its peak, and the international community was deeply impressed with the development achievements under Soeharto. Many multinational companies regarded Indonesia as a model investment destination. The government had a lot of things to show off. (Two years later the nation went bankrupt when the economic crisis hit Asia).

Now what we can exhibit? (Indonesians are rather like 'exhibitionists'!). For sure we are proud of our achievements in democracy. Now Indonesians directly elect, not just their president, but also governors, regents and mayors. Are those not far-reaching accomplishments? What else? Our economy is still weak, our exports continue to decline. Only our "export" of forest fire smoke to Malaysia is constant.

Let us get back to the Declaration of Human Rights, which was issued by the United Nations in 1948 and consists of 30 articles. Among other crucial points, it mentions "the right to recognition as a person before the law, equal legal protection, the right to work, the right to education, the right to a standard of living adequate for health and well-being, freedom of thought, conscience and religion."

For Indonesians who have been suffering since the 1997 economic crisis, the UN Assembly's statement that the Declaration is "a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations", seems unimaginable. If the question were posed, it would be difficult for an Indonesian to answer this: "Mention some of the rights you now benefit from as mandated by the UN."

From all the rights and freedoms guaranteed in the Declaration, only "the right to marry" is apparently the easiest right to be exercised. And because the other rights are much more difficult to gain, perhaps that is the reason why more Indonesians are now enthusiastic to marry more wives. Fortunately or unfortunately, women do not have such equal opportunity to marry again.

Am I proud to be an Indonesian? Of course yes.

Why are you proud? We are often proud of something without a special reason!

If you could be reborn, what nationality would you choose? Of course to be an Indonesian again.

Why? You know what is hidden deep in my heart!

The nation commemorated its independence from colonialism on Wednesday. It is an annual routine. School children sang our national anthem Indonesia Raya in their schools across the country on that day, because their teachers required them to, while they attended a flag-raising ceremony.

How should we commemorate it? At least liberate yourself from all the hardship on the Independence Day.

The writer can be reached at purba@thejakartapost.com