Govt hinders natural acculturation<\/p>\n
Harry Bhaskara, The Jakarta Post, Semarang<\/p>\n
Abdul Djamil throws stones at shop windows like everyone else in
\nthe anti-Chinese mob. When he goes home, another mob spots him
\nwalking leisurely along the street and someone shouts: \"There's a
\nlost Chinese.\" In a panic, Djamil retorts: \"Allahu Akbar\" (God is
\ngreat), and he is left alone, the mob believing he is not of
\nChinese descent.<\/p>\n
The above incident occurred in Semarang in the 1980s. Djamil,
\nnow rector of the State Institute for Islamic Studies (IAIN),
\nlooks Chinese. He related the story as a speaker at a discussion
\nfollowing a book launch here on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The story summed up the uneasy relations between Chinese-
\nIndonesians and indigenous Indonesians as well as between
\nChinese-Indonesians and Muslims. Djamil is one of four speakers
\nin the discussion.<\/p>\n
One participant at the discussion, Sudiarto, a history
\nprofessor at Semarang's Diponegoro University, said that
\nIndonesians tended to be hostile toward China because they
\nbelieved Islam was unknown in the country.<\/p>\n
\"The fact is Islam is also embraced in China. Indonesians
\nshould shed this (false) perception,\" Sudiarto said.<\/p>\n
Speakers at the book launch told a packed audience at Graha
\nSantika Hotel that Islam arrived in China in the seventh century
\nin the days of Prophet Muhammad.<\/p>\n
The discussion was held after Telapak Sejarah Sam Po Kong
\n(Historical Footsteps of Sam Po Kong) was launched in conjunction
\nwith the week-long 600th anniversary of Zheng He's first voyage
\nto Semarang. Zheng He was a Chinese admiral who visited Indonesia
\nin the early 15th century. Some historians believe that Zheng He
\nstopped in Semarang and camped on Simongan Hill, now the location
\nof the famous Sam Poo Kong temple.<\/p>\n
Adhy Trisnanto of the Chinese-Indonesian Muslim Association
\n(PITI), another speaker at the discussion, said he believed a lot
\nof Chinese Muslims in Indonesia were instrumental in spreading
\nthe religion but remained unknown to the public.<\/p>\n
Earlier, the speakers said they did not doubt that Zheng He
\nwas a Muslim, a controversial topic that continues to this day.
\nThe controversy was partly fueled by fear, one of the speakers
\nsaid, referring to Chinese-Indonesians who were afraid their
\ntemple would be converted into a mosque once they acknowledged
\nthat Zheng He was a Muslim.<\/p>\n
Djamil said the good relations between Chinese-Indonesians and
\nindigenous Indonesians were destroyed by the government's
\npolitical policies.<\/p>\n
\"At some point in time the natural acculturation between the
\nChinese culture and indigenous Indonesians was stopped. It is our
\njob to reverse this trend,\" Djamil said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-hinders-natural-acculturation-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}