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)