Youth leaders pledge to uphold unitary state

JAKARTA (JP): Youth figures representing various organizations declared their commitment on Tuesday to maintain the unitary Republic of Indonesia.

A joint statement was issued in response to rising calls for independence and a federal state for the country, Syaifullah Yusuf, who chairs Anshor, the youth wing of the Nahdlatul Ulama Muslim organization, said.

"We call on Aceh and Irian Jaya people to stay within the unitary state of Indonesia with a large scale of autonomy," Syaifullah said as he read out the joint statement.

The youth leaders urged the government of Abdurrahman Wahid to settle Aceh, Maluku and Irian Jaya cases and to make it the top priority. They also suggested that those issues be tackled in a proactive, systematic, firm and wise manner.

They warned the public of efforts to break up the country through foreign intervention and from Indonesian citizens with close ties to foreign countries.

Several youth figures attended the year-end conference, including Irian Jaya youth leader Yorris Raweyai who is the deputy chairman of Pemuda Pancasila, Fadly Zon from the Crescent Star Party and deputy chairman of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) Roy B.B. Janis.

Chairman of the Muslim Worker's Union Eggi Sudjana, the chairman of Pemuda Muhamadiyah, Imam Addaruqudni, Farid Prawiranegara of the Pendidikan Kebangsaan Foundation and Ahmad Muzani of the Muslim Youth Movement were also at hand.

"Although we come from various backgrounds, we can sit together here. Some of us are often called agent provocateurs," Eggi, who is known for leading street rallies in the city, said.

Meanwhile, Yorris, denied allegations that he was behind the separatist movement in Irian Jaya. Activists in Irian Jaya said Yorris supported the hoisting of the separatist flag in the easternmost province on Dec. 1.

Yorris said the Irianese who joined the flag hoisting event ruled out a possible breakaway from the republic.

Separately, the National Awakening Party (PKB) faction at the House of Representatives also rejected the adoption of a federal system.

"A federal system is not the solution to the nation's problems. Autonomy and fair distribution of wealth would be more applicable," the faction's chairman Taufikurrahman Saleh said at a year-end conference on Tuesday. (jun)