Page 166 - THE MELANESIA DIASPORA FILE CETAK ISI 10022017

of all languages, Vanuatu is 96.42%, Caledonia is 92.30%, the Solomon Islands is 90.66%,
Fiji is 80%, East Timor 75%, Indonesia 64.53%, and Papua New Guinea at 28.20%. We can
look at it the other way around, with the percentage of Non-Austronesian languages in
Indonesia being 35.47%.
Precisely because of this mix of Austronesian and Non-Austronesian languages
in Indonesia, there has been an awareness from early on about the value of the local
languages. In recent years, there have been moves for legislation to protect the smaller
languages and preserve their culture and identity. This is because language endangerment
has been recognized as a world-wide problem.
Indonesia is not the only country experiencing language endangerment. All the
Melanesian countries except for Fiji all have languages that are already in the dying
category. The numbers of dying langauges are, for Vanuatu, 11, the Solomon Islands 8,
New Caledonia 8, Papua New Guinea 37, East Timor 1, and Indonesia 75. Meanwhile, these
countries also report of languages which have just become extinct.
The causes of language endangerment include disasters, conflict, attitudes, and pressures
related to modernity and development. Small languages are also put under pressure by
the growth of national languages, and also by lingua francas. Global languages or regional
languaes can also put pressure on local languages. The threat to the continued existence of
local culture, identity and language is today existential. In particular, we are faced with two
unstoppable trends: first the inevitable impacts of climate change on small communities
and second, the impact of development and modernity, in particular the pressures caused
by global corporations and businesses on land and resources. These pressures from global
capitalism can only be countered with strong legal protections. Further, local communities
cannot be isolated from change. If small communities want to embrace modernity, have
their children learn the national language and own electronic goods and cars, and do not
want to lose their identity, then a middle way needs to be found.
Small Pacific island states in particular face the challenge of stimulating development,
improving education, supporting equity. They must also deal with the growing impact
of climate change and have security issues associated with the growing importance of
the Pacific-East Asian region. They cannot do this alone and they cannot do it as a group
separted from regional partners. Indonesia today has a creditable record in human rights
and democracy. It is also a reasonable partner in trade and international affairs. Indonesia
is therefore well-placed to assist neighboring states in facing the many challenges that
threaten nations today.

166 Chapter 3

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