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.