http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/commentary/in-a-time-of-increasing-intolerance-has-unity-in-diversity-run-its-course/435066
In a Time of Increasing Intolerance, Has 'Unity in Diversity' Run Its Course? Beni Sastranegara | April 13, 2011 Many have claimed that 2011 is the year for Indonesia to reassert its leadership in the region. The country is the 2011 chair of Asean, a member of the G-20 and a rising star among developing nations. But for many in the country, none of these externalities matter given a growing list of domestic problems. At the top of this list is that tolerance among Indonesians seems to be on the decline. Our high regard of diversity, unity and nationalism has been eroded by religious radicals. Increasingly, Indonesia seems to be both a rising economic and diplomatic power, and a country unable to manage religious tensions and the rule of law. Indonesia's rising international status is clearly an achievement worthy of acknowledgement. However, the country has a long and winding road ahead of it to achieve its optimum system of governance. Corruption is deeply entrenched in this nation which faces serious economic and social inequalities, a high degree of unemployment, environmental issues and the ever-present threat of religious extremism. Increasing tensions among and within religious groups have exacerbated the significant internal governance issues in the past years. For a country priding itself on its robust mix of various ethnic groups and religious beliefs under the national ideology of Pancasila, religious strife has come as a shock and a source of shame to many. Some among us clearly have forgotten, or have ceased to acknowledge, that Indonesia's constitution clearly stipulates freedom of expression and faith. Where has the pride behind our national motto of "unity in diversity" gone? Indonesia today is becoming fragmented, an especially disappointing development given that our nation is built upon diversity. Indeed, the question that seems to be surfacing among many Indonesians is: Are we Indonesian first, or is ethnic or religious affiliation more important? To combat this breakdown in the support for diversity, the government should make the notion of unity a greater priority than ever. Indonesia has the necessary rules and laws to govern but they are only sporadically applied. What could possibly justify various ethnic or religious groups acting as vigilantes, seemingly above the law, to stand in the path of another group's different way of thinking? Where is the tolerance for other beliefs that has made our country famous? And what is the government doing to restore it? Surely it is unacceptable that the institution that is supposed to uphold and enforce the law basks in its international success without being willing to act against intolerant groups. Aren't we worried about our international reputation? For many, Pancasila is a concept that belongs to the days of the New Order and thus the subject of derision or outright dismissal. A growing number of young people have consigned it to the historical junk heap of anachronistic concepts. But this is to throw the baby out with the bath water. For good reason, Pancasila remains this nation's guiding ideology. Indonesia is now more democratic that it ever was, albeit still on its way to reaching its full potential. Now, more than ever, it needs to draw on the spirit that Pancasila and "unity in diversity" embody. The fact is that a fading respect for diversity is a modern-day governance problem. The government should be setting clear policy goals to strengthen tolerance, be it religious or ethnic, as part of Indonesia's overall national development strategy. Indeed, while faith is a private and personal issue, freedom to practice one's faith is a governance issue. The same goes for freedom to express one's ethnicity or cultural background. Support for these values is one thing that should bind and unite this country. We already have the regulations, but what we need now is a policy of decisiveness to enforce those rules. The government should have a single and united vision for the direction of this country, because so far, when it comes to religious tensions at least, there has been no shortage of conflicting statements. Even worse, there sometimes have been no statements or action at all. Thus, what is needed mainly is decisiveness on the part of the leaders in this country in applying already existing laws, not adding new ones. However, it's not just about the government. Citizens have a role to play too. We cannot just demand the government enforce laws if we are the ones not willing to obey them. The constitution of any country that makes tolerance and "unity in diversity" its main principles should be cherished. Every Indonesian needs to realize and understand that this country exudes diversity, supports diversity and was forged on the values of diversity. Regardless of our faith, ethnic group or beliefs, we are all Indonesian. Beni Sastranegara is a researcher at Strategic Asia, a Jakarta-based consultancy promoting cooperation among key Asian countries. He can be contacted at [email protected] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Post message: [email protected] Subscribe : [email protected] Unsubscribe : [email protected] List owner : [email protected] Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/join (Yahoo! 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