The unity among Indonesian people has been decreasing recently. I am referring to several actions carried out in different provinces, where people have claimed and celebrated their declarations of independence. The latest such actions took place in Papua on Dec. 1 and Aceh on Dec. 4.
The response from the government to these pretensions is too simplistic. These provinces have been given special autonomy status, but special autonomy doesn’t actually work at all. The central government, however, is not smart enough to see that these instances of “special treatment” will trigger the envy of other provinces, which historically have conducted similar or identical actions. One of them is the province where I live: Riau.
In 1956, the first Riau People’s Congress (KRR) gave birth to the struggle for separation from Central Sumatra province, which eventually resulted in the creation of the new province of Riau.
Thirty-four years later, on Feb. 1, 2000, a second KRR was held, which invited people to choose from three options for the future of Riau: independence, autonomy or a federation.
Of the 623 participants in attendance, 270 people chose the option of independence, 199 people chose special autonomy and 146 chose a federal state.
These three options had been discussed because the central government had historically neglected Riau’s development, which was in fact very rich in natural resources (oil and cobalt) and other resources.
There were many poverty-stricken people in Riau at the time. The government controlled almost all the processing of natural resources and took more than 80 percent of the benefits.
Fortunately, the culture in Riau is a culture of friendship, brotherhood, simplicity and fidelity. So, Riau remained in the frame of the unitary state — at least until now.
But, when we see what is happening today, who can guarantee that Riau will not choose to prosecute independence again?
Aswandi Aminsyah
Pekanbaru