Together, Compiling Indonesia

Satu nusa satu bangsa satu bahasa kita,

(One homeland, one nation, one language are ours)

tanah air pasti jaya untuk slama lamanya,

(the homeland must be victorious forever)

Indonesia pusaka, Indonesia tercinta,

(venerable Indonesia, beloved Indonesia)

nusa bangsa dan bahasa kita bela bersama

(nation and language must be defended together)

The chants of Satu Nusa Satu Bangsa, created by L. Manik opened the student discussion 'Together, Compiling Indonesia' held by Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta at Den Nanny restaurant, Yogyakarta (23/01/2020). The song which was sung by thirty-four students from various campuses, reminded Indonesia students about the unity commitment among cultural, language and religious diversity. At the opening, Ariani Narwastujati, Executive Director of Stube-HEMAT, said that each of us should collaborate together for Indonesia with its various backgrounds. The diversity of Indonesia actually makes other countries jealous because diversity is like a beautiful accessory, so there are parties who try to divide this nation in various ways so that the sense of unity faded. This activity is a place for young people to meet, share experiences and become agents in integrating Indonesia. Stube-HEMAT itself, as a student service, is open to serve students to find their own identities to be ready to contribute to the regions.

Several interfaith practitioners facilitated the discussion, such as Totok Tejamano, S.Ag, (head of Karangjati Buddhist monastery, Yogyakarta). He thanked to Stube for this student dialogue and revealed that life is not straight, the work reality is often different from what they have learned in campus. Cumlaude is important but should be complemented by social experience with community. Nowadays, the issue of religion is sexy because the discussion about it sometimes brings no peace but trouble. Many efforts are done to divide Indonesia because its wealth of natural resources and energy tempts any parties to control. The propaganda of certain ethnic group has a strong power, truth-claims in religion and economic and political interests become a means of dividing the nation. We, as students should be able to restore the noble of religions, which actually encourage everyone to care and to have sense of togetherness and  humanity.

"Did the students meet people with different religions when they were in their area? How was your experience at that time?" This is the opening question of Ps. Dr. Wahyu Nugroho M.A to the participants who turned out that most of them had been in Yogyakarta for more than two years. Ina, one of the student participant from Manggarai revealed that in her area has various religions, Islam, Christian and Catholic that are very familiar. When Christmas and Easter, Muslims join in celebration and so when Idul Fitri and Idul Adha, Christians and Catholics also celebrate it, and there is no turmoil in society. There was also a testimony that students feel lonely when Easter and Christmas in Yogya because the celebration is not as vibrant as at their home area in eastern Indonesia where decorations and accessories for Christmas celebrations are easily found along the roads. In his presentation, Ps. Wahyu Nugroho explained that there was an understanding of co-existence and pro-existence in living together in diversity. Co-existence means peaceful coexistence, does not interfere with each other, but there is no mutual interaction, while pro-existence is interpreted as peaceful coexistence and each party approaches each other to foster togetherness and cooperation.

The experience of life change in diversity interactions was revealed by Eko Prasetyo, SH from Social Movement Institute (SMI). In his childhood, he studied at a Catholic school and went to Islamic boarding school and continued studying in Yogyakarta. In this city, he faced a completely different environment, even such a contradiction of what he had encountered at Pondok Pesantren when he was at college, he met students from various regions, many people and science background, ethnicity and religion which became a turning point to interact with everyone while he keeps moving against social problems and injustice in society.

The conclusion of the discussion conveys that although in the same religion and culture, there was still a fact of differences in understanding among the community. This is a challenge for everyone how to address differences as diversity. Students as the generation of the nation are required to be smart to act in the midst of diversity, to erode prejudices among one another and to be aware of radicalism, and to move together in cross-religious and cross-cultural interaction. Further, it is important that there are encounter experiences among different religious communities to form an understanding of mutual respect, which is then internalized in each other's minds and the importance to emphasize more religious teachings that uphold and acknowledge differences compared to religious doctrine. The challenge of young generation is how to be a mobilizer as well as an agent of change by opening and enriching understanding with a variety of new experiences in campaigning for diversity and tolerance in Indonesian society. (TRU)