Youths worry but remain hopeful of Indonesia's survival

Youths worry but remain hopeful of Indonesia's survival

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta

Indonesia's troubles are no doubt discouraging and worrying,
with signs of disintegration growing every day. Ethnic and
religious conflicts, as well as increasing demands for
independence raise numerous questions about the future of the
country.

Boby Oktavianus, 17, a member of the Paskibraka national flag
raising team from West Kalimantan, said he was concerned by the
social conflicts and armed separatist movements.

"How can people think of seceding from Indonesia? Don't they
have respect for the founding fathers who united this nation?"
asked Boby, a student from Sintang regency.

He blamed the conflicts and separatist movements on a
declining sense of nationhood, as well as a diminishing trust of
the central government by the people and the regions.

His fellow Paskibraka member, I Gusti Agung Ayu Putri Astary
from Bali, sees this faltering trust as a result of a corrupt
government.

"I believe the nation can survive if people have more trust in
the government, and if they can trust each other and accept our
differences," said Agung, a student at Tabanan SMU 1 high school
in Bali.

Indeed, many youths see the weakening sense of nationalism as
a major problem that threatens the country's unity.

Chandi Salmon Conrad, a student at the Al Azhar private
Islamic high school in South Jakarta, said the government had
focused too much on physical development at the expense of non-
physical development, such as nation-building.

"This (policy) has made the nation fragile and could lead to
disintegration," said the 18-year-old Chandi, who was born to an
American father and an Indonesian mother.

Despite the threats, the youths remain optimistic that
Indonesia will survive as a nation, provided the current leaders
maintain the commitment of the country's founding fathers to
place national interests above personal and group interests.

Most of the young people interviewed by The Jakarta Post
agreed that today's leaders lack national commitment. This is
reflected in the country's inability to emerge from the prolonged
economic crisis that began in 1997. They believe that there is
simply not a great enough commitment to share the burden and make
the sacrifices necessary to rebuild the country.

"The country could break up if the leaders only think about
their own interests," Adi Putra Binarta, 22, a student at
Trisakti University's School of Electrical Engineering, said.

Adi, who took part in the student rallies that eventually
forced the resignation of president Soeharto in 1998, reminded
today's leaders of the sacrifices made by the country's founding
fathers, including Sukarno, Hatta and Agus Salim.

These early leaders, Adi said, lifted up the nation by placing
national interests above personal and group interests.

"Bung Karno was even prepared to offer his life. It took a lot
of courage to announce independence in a time of colonialism,"
said Boby.

Noted anthropologist Yunita T. Winarto, meanwhile, said that
national integrity was in danger due to the mistreatment of
peoples of different cultures during the Soeharto era.

"The Soeharto regime intervened in most aspects of cultural
life. It forced uniformity among the different cultures," Yunita,
of the University of Indonesia, said.

However, while blaming the New Order regime of president
Soeharto for many of the current problems, Yunita remains
convinced that Indonesia will not break up. Despite all of the
past mistakes that damaged the country's diverse cultures, the
cultural ties among Indonesia's peoples remain strong and will
continue to serve as the glue that binds the nation, she added.

The young people agreed that it would take a lot of hard work
to keep the nation intact.

"I don't want to see this nation break up. If it breaks up, we
would have to show our passports when we went to other regions,"
Ramadhani, a street singer in the Senayan area of South Jakarta
and whose parents come from West Sumatra, said.

So what must Indonesians do to keep the country united?

Swastika, 24, an anchorwoman at a television station, urged
all people, especially the country's leaders, to respect the
diversity of cultures.

"It will take some really, really hard work because in the
past we were forced to remain a nation," Swastika said.

Nothing seems to speak so clearly of the difficulties facing
the nation than the words of Adelia Atarin, 16, a Paskibraka
member from Irian Jaya.

"I'm seen as an anomaly to the Indonesian people. Whenever I
go out to other regions, like here in Jakarta, they look at me as
if I am a stranger because of the color of my skin. They don't
see me as someone who comes from the same archipelago," Adelia, a
student at Mandala Trikora high school, said.

"People often consider (cultural) differences as something
that separates this nation. In fact, the different cultures of
the different ethnic groups enrich all of us," Boby added.

He urged the government to focus on regional development,
especially in the eastern part of the country, in order to win
back the trust of the people.

"We must also improve our education system to create better
human resources," said Boby.

Noted sociologist Ignas Kleden views the current unitary state
system as inappropriate, given the diverse geographical and
cultural characteristics of the country.

Ignas said the unitary system did not provide room for
differences and did not respect the diversity of cultures.

Most of the youths, however, are not really concerned about
which system is adopted, so long as it improves the lives of the
people.

"Whether it is a federal system or a unitary system, the
important thing is that it can improve people's welfare," Chandi,
who is president of his school's student body, said.