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.