Students told to come up with concept of freedom

Students told to come up with concept of freedom

BOGOR, West Java (JP): State Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja challenged the Indonesian Christian Student Movement yesterday to redefine its identity in anticipation of social and political changes.

"You will be the country's leaders soon. What concept of freedom do you intend to live with?" asked the former student activist to the members assembled to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Indonesian Christian Student Movement (GMKI).

In this age, he said, freedom could mean either a chance to demand more from the bureaucracy or it could imply an individual right which one possesses and intends to defend.

If young people choose to defend their freedom, he said, they must be creative and innovative in seeking ways to achieve their goals. "However, if they choose to keep making demands on the government, they will hardly get anywhere."

Sarwono, who says he has spent some 11 years studying at university to devote himself to student council activities, admitted that the times had changed and that a new generation of youths had emerged.

"In the 1950s universities inherited the 'liberal' education system. The motto at the time was buku, pesta, cinta (books, party, love)," he said, adding that this gave students ample time to get involved in other activities like student and youth movements.

Approaching the rise of the New Order in 1966, he said, student movements -- many of which had become factions in the political parties -- played an increasingly important role in the country's political life.

Later on, however, the establishment of the credit system in the 1970s forced students to finish their studies more quickly. The government's move to rid campuses of political activity began with the "normalization of campus life" concept that bred a certain apathy among students. Students became indifferent to politics and lost interest in political organizations.

"With the rise of the New Order, the government became an extremely strong institution. Student movements and youth organizations adapted to the government's bureaucratic culture and strongly resembled the government system, in both its formality and style," Sarwono said.

"Those who joined these 'bureaucratic-like organizations' were almost sure to go after 'political careers' which would, naturally, land them somewhere in the bureaucracy," Sarwono said.

The increasing role of the economy, Sarwono said, was also a factor which distinguished the nature of student movements now from those several decades ago.

"The generator in the economy is no longer the government but the private sector. Student movements now imitate 'private culture' and this may well become a new obsession," he said.

He said the movements must have strong identities and ideals. They could easily be dragged into consumerism, he added, which is the objective of the private sector and characteristic of most of Indonesia's middle class.

"This middle class is apathetic to global issues such as those concerning human rights, democracy and the environment. It is in that regard that the social responsibility of student movements like GMKI is tested," Sarwono pointed out.

The next Five Year Development Plan, he said, would determine Indonesia's next economic and political model.

"If the wrong kind of people make these decisions, it will endanger the country. Members of student and youth movements can prevent this from happening when they reach the appropriate age," he said.

Sarwono challenged them to go by their ideals and use their freedom instead of imitating bureaucratic institutions. They must find ways to "outwit" the system.(pwn)