Chinese-Indonesian form organization<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A group of Chinese-Indonesians established a new
\norganization on Saturday, stressing they did not want to
\nparticipate solely in business.<\/p>\n
The chairman of the newly founded Chinese-Indonesian
\nAssociation (INTI), Eddie Lembong, stressed that Indonesia was
\ntheir first and last commitment, and that they would work closely
\nwith other Indonesians to develop \"a new Indonesia\".<\/p>\n
\"In this reform era, we people of Chinese descent feel it is
\nour calling and determination to use our potential, as part of
\nthe nation's assets, in serving the nation,\" Lembong said in his
\naddress. The organization's secretary-general is Michael Utama
\nPurnama. Well-known tycoons were absent.<\/p>\n
The association, with 17 founders, celebrated its
\nestablishment at the Hailai International Executive Club in North
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
Lembong told the packed gathering that Chinese-Indonesians
\nwould prove that they were not only \"economic animals\" in search
\nof profit. He added that membership was not limited to people of
\nChinese ancestry. He said the organization would launch several
\nactivities to give job training to the poor to help them earn a
\nliving.<\/p>\n
Chinese-Indonesians make up only about 7.8 million of the
\ncountry's 210 million population. Analysts have said the belief
\nthat they control the economy is the main reason Chinese were
\ntargeted in recent riots.<\/p>\n
Last May's riots, which triggered the fall of president
\nSoeharto, saw at least 2,000 killed. Dozens of women were raped
\nand killed, most of them Chinese-Indonesians.<\/p>\n
Many Chinese-Indonesians fled the country to seek safety,
\nwhile others accused them of being less loyal to the country in
\ncrisis.<\/p>\n
Lembong referred to early policies that discriminated against
\nthe Chinese here which he said led to current conditions. The
\npolicy of Dutch colonial masters in which inhabitants were
\nsegregated, and in which Chinese were used as \"tools of the
\ncolonial economy\" led to the gap between them and indigenous
\npeople, he said.<\/p>\n
He added that in 53 years, efforts to overcome the \"Chinese
\nproblem\", both by the government and the Chinese, have not reaped
\nsatisfactory results.<\/p>\n
INTI hopes for \"total\" but \"natural\" assimilation, he said,
\nwhich would be reflected in the participation of Chinese-
\nIndonesians in all spheres of life, including defense and the
\nbureaucracy.<\/p>\n
Government policies included the banning of Chinese-language
\nschools and the banning of Chinese calligraphy and all arts
\nconsidered to be Chinese. Chinese-Indonesians also found the
\nbureaucracy and the military were virtually closed to them.<\/p>\n
A few tried to set up a political party last year, called the
\nChinese-Indonesians Reform Party (Parti), but it failed to meet
\nrequirements to contest this year's polls.<\/p>\n
\"We will also fight for the abolition of any laws which
\ndirectly or indirectly trigger discrimination,\" Lembong said.<\/p>\n
President B.J. Habibie signed last September a decree for the
\nelimination of all forms of discrimination, followed this month
\nwith the ratification of the international convention against
\ndiscrimination.<\/p>\n
Among attendants on Saturday were Muslim scholar Said Aqil
\nSiradj of the National Awakening Party (PKB), former minister of
\nreligious affairs Tarmizi Taher and Sabam Sirait of the
\nIndonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan).<\/p>\n
The gathering on Saturday was entertained by a display of the
\nwushu martial arts and a musical stint with Chinese-Indonesian
\nyoungsters portrayed as students and factory workers, among other
\nthings. (prb\/msa)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/chinese-indonesian-form-organization-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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