Youth Pledge and Spirit of National Unity

Kompas

Didie SW

October is a historic month for the Indonesian people. Why? Because in this month, exactly on 28 Oct. 1928, Indonesian youths took a monumental oath, the Youth Pledge, declaring their loyalty to One Motherland, One Nation, One Language: Indonesia.

They were young people from across the archipelago, the majority from Jakarta (then Batavia), and represented several regions in Indonesia. It was not easy back then to gather together regional representatives because of the scarce means of transportation. After all, the people who lived in Batavia were seen as representing various tribes, ethnic groups, and religions.

What these young people did marked a significant milestone in the nation’s aspiration to achieve unity in diversity for Indonesia.

Also read:

>Empowering Village Youths as Partners

> Deemed Worse than Covid-19 Youths Worried about the Impact of Climate-Crisis

Their oath has reverberated over the years, transcending time and space. The bold statement uttered by young people living under the colonial and imperial rulers of the time infused eternal inspiration and energy into the struggle to realize an Indonesian state and nation, free from Western colonialism and imperialism.

This ideal reached its pinnacle when Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta, in the name of the Indonesian nation, proclaimed Indonesian independence on 17 Aug. 1945.

What this historic event announced to the world was not only the establishment of a country, but also the creation of a sovereign nation: Indonesia.

Of course, the Sriwijaya and Majapahit kingdoms of the past can be referred to as "proto-Indonesian", but they cannot be equated with the nation that was proclaimed on 17 Aug. 1945, which clearly affirmed that independence was the right of all nations and therefore, colonialism had to be eliminated in the world because it did not accord with humanity and justice.

We can trace how this intricate course unfolded in the history books.

However, it was not easy to arrive at this stage. There was no smooth road. Our founding fathers fought hard, not only for independence, but also to unite the tribal groups scattered across the archipelago with their diverse ethnicity and religions. We can trace how this intricate course unfolded in the history books.

We can refer, for example, to Bung Karno's speech on 1 June 1945 before the Dokuritsu Junbi Chōsakai (Investigating Committee for the Preparation of Indonesian Independence), which later became known as the “Birth of Pancasila Speech".

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

A student documents the history collection of the Youth Pledge Museum in Jakarta, Tuesday (27/10/2020).

There were two major groups at that time, those who fought for a state founded on Islam and those who wanted a secular state.

National state

Quoting Ernest Renan and Otto Bauer, Soekarno pointed out the need for a consensus on "philosophische grondslag" (foundational philosophy) and "weltanschauung" (worldview).

Bung Karno emphasized that we had established an independent Indonesia, not for one person or a single group, but a state based on nationalism, nationale staat, a state that was "all for all", a state that was mutually agreed upon by both the Islamic and secular groups.

According to historical records, this speech was an important reference for the Panitia Sembilan (committee of nine) in their discussions to formulate the foundation of the state. The result was the Djakarta Charter (22 June 1945), in which the composition of the principles proposed by Bung Karno underwent an alteration.

This principle on faith was expanded to "with an obligation for adherents of Islam to uphold sharia".

The principle on religious faith, which was initially placed at the very end after the other principles, became the first principle. This principle on faith was expanded to "with an obligation for adherents of Islam to uphold sharia".

However, the expanded formulation later underwent significant alteration after it drew objections from representatives of East Indonesia, who felt the formulation’s exclusiveness was discriminatory.

On the afternoon of 17 Aug. 1945, Bung Hatta received a call from Mr. Nishijima, the assistant to Adm. Maeda, requesting that he receive an officer of the Kaigun (the Imperial Japanese Navy, which controlled eastern Indonesia at that time).

The officer relayed a message from East Indonesia figures regarding the wording of the principle’s clause. According to Bung Hatta's notes, the officer said: “They (East Indonesia figures) have found the wording of the principle’s clause does not address them, but only people who follow Islam.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Relief of the History of the Youth Struggle at the Youth Pledge Museum in the Senen area, Central Jakarta, Thursday (28/10/2021).

“The inclusion of such a provision in the foundational principles as the basis for the constitution is a form of discrimination against minority groups. If the discriminatory provision is maintained, they would prefer to stand outside the Republic of Indonesia.”

In the 18 Aug. 1945 session of the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence (PPKI), the clause was crossed out and the principle was rephrased into "Belief in One God".

Of course, this could be realized because of the clear, far-reaching vision of an independent Indonesia that was recognized by both nationalists and Islamic leaders. An independent Indonesia does not recognize discrimination among its citizens.

Mainstreaming Pancasila values

Bung Karno's bold words that Indonesia was “all for all”, “not just for one person”, “not just for one group” were manifested in the improved formulation of the principle on faith and in the formulation of the Constitution.

An independent Indonesia does not recognize the dichotomy of the majority and the minority in its decision-making process. All citizens are equal before the Constitution and the law.

Therefore, through the 1945 Constitution, which contains the final formulation of Pancasila, we agreed and affirmed that we are one homeland, one nation and have one Indonesian language, without being embroiled in the primordialism of ethnicity, religion, race, and societal groups. This has broad and fundamental implications.

In an independent Indonesia, there should be no statements and actions that suggest that we are still fragmented. These kinds of statements and actions should no longer be showed by ordinary citizens, let alone the nation's leaders (formal or informal) or government officials. They should not be trapped and captivated in a sectarian or sectoral mindset.

All government institutions, be they ministries or not, must be seen as belonging to the entire Indonesian nation, and that whoever is eligible has the right to lead them.

Kompas/Priyombodo

An officer organizes the collection of the Youth Pledge museum in the Senen area, Central Jakarta, Sunday (6/7/2020).

Likewise, the budget apportioned by government institutions is for all Indonesian people, not just for certain groups.

Of course, it is not appropriate for a government official to claim that a ministry (or other governmental institutions) has issued a policy only for a specific group, despite the claim likely being based on historical precedence. However, in the context of the affirmed unity as one nation, such a claim becomes redundant.

I remember what Bung Hatta stated when he crossed out the requirement of being Islam for presidential candidates from the draft constitution. He said, more or less, that if the Indonesian people, who are predominantly Muslim, are certain that the figure to be elected as president would be Muslim, what was the point of including a discriminatory provision in the Constitution.

In crossing out the clause, as a Christian I have the right to run for president. My chance at being elected is another issue, but for certain, my right is not being denied before they can even grow. Indonesia is turning into a truly modern country that does not base its decisions on mere primordial sentiments.

TOKOH.ID

Andreas A Yewangoe

So in observing and reflecting on the Youth Pledge, which is manifested in the values of Pancasila, we are reminded to carry on by mainstreaming those values to uphold our spirit of togetherness, instead of being trapped in striving only for the interests of certain groups. God be with the Indonesian people.

Andreas A. Yewangoe, Steering Committee member, Pancasila Ideology Development Board (BPIP)

(This article was translated by Musthofid).