Youth Pledge Day

Youth Pledge Day

It is probably not very far off the mark to say that few
Indonesians remember, or even care about, the fact that today
their nation marks the occasion, 74 years ago, when a handful of
youthful leaders of the pre-independence nationalist movement
proclaimed what has since become known as the nation's Youth
Pledge. Yet, the event that took place in what was then the
Netherlands East Indies' colonial capital, Batavia, on Oct. 28,
1928, can truly be regarded as one of the most important
milestones in this country's modern history.

Obviously, in 1928, when the pledge was proclaimed, conditions
differed vastly from today's. Indonesia, as a nation, did not
even exist. Then, as today, the archipelago of more than 17,000
islands was inhabited by hundreds of ethnic groups and subgroups
speaking just about as many languages and dialects.

It took the visionary forethought of a handful of youth
leaders, who hailed from various regions of the archipelago
during that meeting, for them to declare that they considered
themselves as having a common fatherland, belonging to a single
nation and speaking a common language -- that of Indonesia.

So, in essence, the idea of Indonesian nationhood was born. It
was that idea that inspired this country's nationalist leaders in
the generations that followed -- truly a monumental milestone in
the history of the country, considering that even today Indonesia
is one of the most diverse nations in the world.

Why, then, the apparent apathy on behalf of the current
generation of Indonesians with regard to this historic event?

One could cite several reasons. Foremost, however, is the
feeling that prevails in many regions of this vast archipelago
that they are not being treated fairly. In other words, they are
not being placed on an equal footing as more privileged areas
closer to the center, in Java.

Fortunately, steps have in the past few decades been taken to
correct much of the disparity that has for so long existed,
although admittedly much more needs to be done. The turmoil in
the special area of Aceh, to mention just one example, stems from
such a feeling. Given the fact that Aceh, together with
Yogyakarta, was one of the first regions to officially and
voluntarily declare its full support to the Indonesian Republic
shortly after it was proclaimed on Aug. 17 by Sukarno and Mohamad
Hatta, this northernmost Indonesian province certainly deserves
all the goodwill and consideration the government in Jakarta can
muster to end peacefully the long, ongoing conflict.

For the Indonesian nation, there can be no Youth Pledge Day
present more welcome than the peace agreement that is due to be
signed -- barring last minute hitches -- on Thursday, Oct. 31,
between the government in Jakarta and the Free Aceh Movement
(GAM) in Geneva, Switzerland.

The hope is that the signing of the peace agreement will
effectively end the armed conflict and killings that have been
going on in Aceh for the past few decades.

Unfortunately, experience of these decades has taught us that
preserving the peace, once attained, is a job that must really be
worked on by both sides if it is to last. It may also take much
longer after all these years of strife to wipe away the ill-
feeling on both sides that the prolonged conflict has created.

Even so, with the prospect of developments looking hopeful in
Aceh and conditions for a restoration of peace and harmony in
Maluku apparently starting to improve, there is hope that the
nation can begin to start thinking about addressing the
grievances of the various regions in earnest.

Only by so doing can Indonesians hope to bring back the
motivation for all Indonesians, wherever they live, whatever
language or dialect they speak and whatever religion they
observe, to start living once again in peace and harmony,
together as one nation.

Let us hope that this year's Youth's Pledge Day commemorations
can be more meaningful for the nation than merely the observance
of empty ceremonies. Only by standing united as a nation can
Indonesians hope to become strong enough to meet the challenges
of a globalized world.

Those visionary young pioneers of our nationhood in 1928
seemed to have seen the world that was in the making with a
clarity that we today can only envy. But if they could do it, why
can't we?