Govt must end 'politics of exclusion'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government must end its \"politics of
\nexclusion\" toward citizens of Chinese descent and start afresh by
\ndrafting laws which guarantee the rights of the minority,
\nobservers said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Human rights activist Todung Mulya Lubis drew the attention of
\na seminar on prevention of racial discrimination toward policies
\nwhich were discriminatory in nature.<\/p>\n
There are, for instance, limitations on the numbers of
\nChinese-Indonesians allowed in state universities and the
\nissuance of identity cards which were different from other groups
\nin society, he said.<\/p>\n
\"These policies are seeds of discrimination,\" he said. \"The
\ngovernment must immediately abolish them... and start anew by
\ndrafting laws which guarantee the rights of the minority.\"<\/p>\n
Todung cited, as one root of the problems, the previous
\nadministration's obsession with economic growth and its neglect
\nof the nation-building process.<\/p>\n
Analysts said the previous regime under Soeharto was supported
\nby conglomerates, mostly owned by people of Chinese descent. The
\nethnic group made up 4 percent of the 202 million population but
\ncontrolled between 70 percent and 80 percent of the economy -- a
\ndisparity which fueled widespread resentment.<\/p>\n
When rioting broke out in Jakarta and other cities in early
\nMay, Chinese-Indonesians were the target of the rampages. Apart
\nfrom about 1,200 people burned alive in many buildings, more than
\n160 women of Chinese descent were gang raped or sexually
\nassaulted.<\/p>\n
The government and military have been condemned due to its
\nfailure to protect the minority during the unrest.<\/p>\n
Some 150,000 people -- mostly of Chinese descent -- fled the
\ncountry because of the rioting. This caused further economic
\ncollapse.<\/p>\n
Todung said the new administration must not repeat the same
\nmistakes.<\/p>\n
\"The racial tension must be bridged through a more egalitarian
\nculture,\" Todung said.<\/p>\n
He also said the minority should not hesitate to file lawsuits
\nif they felt discriminated against.<\/p>\n
Historian Ong Hok Ham said the government must end the
\ndecades-long practices of exploiting the relatively prosperous
\nChinese-Indonesians.<\/p>\n
President B.J. Habibie has asked the fleeing Chinese descent
\ncitizens to return to revitalize the economy. He has also pledged
\nto ratify the United Nations antidiscrimination convention to lay
\nthe foundations for a campaign to banish the issue from
\nIndonesian society. (byg)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-must-end-politics-of-exclusion-1447893297",
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