Academia
Amid the ongoing commotion regarding the draft law on citizenship, perhaps it is time to hearken back to the wisdom of Ibu Pertiwi, our national personification, in revising our policies so they welcome back all who claim Indonesian roots with open arms.
An Indonesian passport peeks out of a backpack in this stock illustration. (Shutterstock/Alii Sher)
Bloodlines flow freely, unconfined by lines on a map, and the love we hold for our homeland cannot be reduced to the color of a passport cover. Amid the commotion surrounding the draft Citizenship Law, we are asked to overlook an overwhelming contradiction.While doors swing open to dual citizenship for select individuals, such as athletes and global talents selected for their potential or achievements, the single citizenship rule remains rigidly in place for those with deep roots in the nation: families of mixed heritage, the diaspora, all those whose hearts beat for Indonesia wherever they roam.
It is time to shift our perspective, replacing constant suspicion with a warmer value: “matriotism”. While conventional thinking often obsesses over upholding borders, “matriotism” is about nurturing and sheltering those within, depicting the state as a mother.
