Becoming a Responsible Citizen!

Citizenship Education XX

Joint project by Institut Leimena & Graduate Centre – Perkantas

“Being a responsible citizen is the calling of every Christian in Indonesia,” expressed Budi H. Setiamarga, Director Centre for Policy Analysis  for Institut Leimena, during a citizenship education XX presentation on 23rd July 2011 held at Gedung Serba Guna Mall Golden Truly Lvl.3 in Jakarta.

“As a Christian, we are responsible for a dual citizenship – one as a disciple of Christ who holds the citizenship to heaven and another as a citizen of Indonesia.  This dual citizenship is akin to sugar that has been dissolved in water; the two can no longer be differentiated because both elements have become one.   Our duty as a disciple of Christ is to love the Lord God while our duty to care for our neighbors can be fulfilled by being an active citizen – one who is involved in matters of the public.”

Budi continues, “Thus, being a servant of God needs a new definition. It must not represent only service in the church environment or to other Christian organizations, but also embody service to the public and humankind in general. This is important so that that there will no longer be a dichotomy within the Christian. Why so? Because God cares not only for Christians but also for all mankind; without prejudice of race, ethnicity, religion, social class and other factors. As such there is no status distinction between a disciple of Christ and an Indonesian citizen”.

Citizenship Education, once known as Public Policy Analysis Training, is implemented this time as a co-operation between Institut Leimena and Graduate Centre Perkantas (Inter-University Christian Fellowship) Indonesia. Graduate Centre is the national alumni service division for the fellowship of evangelical students (Perkantas) in Indonesia. A special department that manages the political field in the Graduate Centre, namely Forkastra Politik (Political Forum for Strategic Studies), takes a look at the importance of the role of Christians as Indonesian citizens in participating in public issues affecting the country. One of the roles they can take on is to analyze public policies. By doing so, a Christian will be actively involved in ensuring that the country is moving along a path that is congruent with the constitution; namely the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia (UUD 1945) and the Five Principles of Pancasila. For that reason, Forkastra Politik via Graduate Centre invited Institut Leimena to work together in this honorable mission.

The activities that were attended by 50 attendees went on from morning until evening in a conducive environment. The responses received were very positive as this activity revived the role a Christian must play as a citizen of the country. Based on the information on the written evaluation provided by the attendees, many were generally compelled to critique existing public issues such as the law, bill establishment and regional regulations along with the 1945 Constitution. A simple point that has so far been overlooked! A handful thought to develop community discussion not only within the student and alumni body in Perkantas, but also on a provincial and community level. There were even some who were motivated to develop it in the church sphere.

The ideas above were also inspired by the materials from the Citizen Discussion that was communicated by Matius Ho, Executive Director of Institut Leimena. Matius suggested that a follow-up to the citizenship education program would be to hold simple discussion in individuals’ homes by using materials that can be downloaded from Leimena’s website. A simple idea that holds tremendous potential!

Finally, the program ended with various hopes and ideas on developing active participation amongst Christians as citizens concerned in public affairs relating to the country. Let us all be responsible citizens working for a better Indonesia!