Jakarta, Aug. 17 -- Indonesia's top legal minister has called on citizens to honor the sacrifices of national heroes, stressing that independence is not merely a right but a mandate to fulfill the nation's founding ideals.

"Independence is not just a right, but a mandate to realize the noble goals outlined in the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution," Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra said.

Speaking at an Independence Day ceremony in Jakarta on Sunday, he said those goals include protecting all Indonesians, advancing public welfare, educating the nation, and contributing to global peace and justice.

Mahendra emphasized that the nation's freedom was not handed down by history, bu...