Youths call for national unity to survive crises
Youths call for national unity to survive crises
Moch. N. Kurniawan and Jupriadi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Makassar
The time is right for young people across the country to take an initiative in campaigning for national unity in the face of serious threats of regionalism, separatist movements and terrorism, youth activists said on Monday.
Kholis Malik of the Islamic Student Association (HMI) said that the campaign was necessary to convince people and political elite groups that the current trend was moving in the wrong direction.
"We cannot follow this current direction. We should encourage the local government to exercise regional autonomy to eradicate poverty, not to create excessive regionalism," he told the Jakarta Post in observance of Youth's Oath Day.
"We also need to start addressing the issue that terrorism is not related to religion, but an independent action carried out by criminals."
He urged youth organizations in the country to hold various training sessions and workshops to help restore people's confidence in national unity.
He hailed a move by 12 youth organizations, representing the Hindu, Buddhist, Islamic, Protestant and Catholic faiths, who sent a peace and advocacy team to Bali to help locals and to reduce hatred among followers of other religions in the wake of the Bali terrorist attacks on Oct. 12.
Meanwhile, in Makassar, South Sulawesi, 200 youths from various organizations celebrated Youth's Oath Day with a vow to fight terrorism and maintain national unity.
Irwan Wijaya, a spokesman for the Makassar Youth, said the terrorist attack in Bali should trigger all elements in the country to unite in their steps to stop terrorism.
"We'll take part in fighting terrorism in the country and keep our national unity intact," he told the Post.
Youth Oath Day in Makassar was marred by an antigovernment rally as hundreds of students grouped under the People's Revolution Front (FRR) called on President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Vice President Hamzah Haz to step down for failing to reduce poverty.
"We want leaders who are for poor people, who are free of corruption and uphold the law," one of the students said.
Chairman of the local chapter of the Indonesian Nationalist Students Movement (GMNI) Bambang Rumada suggested that the country's youths consider entering the political arena earlier as the current politicians were no longer reliable to manage the country.
"By entering the political field earlier, we can make idealism a reality. It's better than putting our hope in these corrupt political leaders," he said.
He warned that if corruption continued, regionalism would strengthen as local leaders and locals would no longer believe the central government.
Regarding the terrorist issue, Bambang agreed that Indonesian youths bore the responsibility of encouraging people in the country to fight terrorism together, without having to suspect each other.