Riots add to toll of human rights violations<\/p>\n
By Frans H. Winarta<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The East Asia economic crisis did not spare
\nIndonesia, which has felt its bite since the end of July 1997.
\nWhether it was by design or not, the crisis has manifested in
\npeople venting their frustration against the ethnic Chinese and
\nthe Christian minority.<\/p>\n
The riots toward the end of 1997 and the beginning of this
\nyear in a number of places in Java, Sulawesi and elsewhere in the
\ncountry, have caused concerns both at home and abroad. A new list
\nof human rights violations, which are of national and
\ninternational concern, has had the destruction and looting of
\nshops owned by ethnic Chinese added to it.<\/p>\n
The right to own property is an unalienable right which cannot
\nbe reduced or appropriated by anyone, including the state, except
\nby a just, open and impartial court decision.<\/p>\n
No military regime, however strong, no majority, however
\ndominant, no political force, however important can take, reduce
\nor appropriate somebody's human rights. The right to live, the
\nright to own property, the right to obtain citizenship and the
\nright to be treated equally before the law are among the most
\nbasic human rights and cannot be eliminated at will.<\/p>\n
If property rights cannot be guaranteed, the recent riots will
\ngive rise to paranoia, especially for the ethnic Chinese. This
\nwill result in a significant capital flight which will impair
\nIndonesia's economy.<\/p>\n
Malaysia had a brain drain in the 1970s and the 1980s when
\nprofessionals emigrated due to political pressure and ethnic
\ntension. The Malaysian government stemmed the trend by the ruling
\nUMNO party approaching the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA),
\nthe ethnic Chinese political party. It knew that it was more
\nbeneficial to establish a coalition than to create enmity with
\nother parties.<\/p>\n
The Philippines has no Chinese problem. The government invited
\nthe citizens of Taiwan to invest in the country during the
\nMarcos' era since Taiwan had a trade surplus with the
\nPhilippines. With their investment the Taiwanese were given the
\nsame status as Filipino citizens.<\/p>\n
Chinese Indonesians were left without any organization after
\nBaperki (an organization to promote ethnic Chinese integration
\ninto Indonesian society) was dissolved in the wake of the
\nabortive communist coup in 1965.<\/p>\n
This condition has caused an absence of communication between
\nthe Indonesian government and the ethnic Chinese in Indonesia.
\nThe relationship between the government and the Chinese
\nconglomerate businessmen, who do not represent the ethnic
\nChinese, is that of patronage and has caused suspicion rather
\nthan trust in the integrity and patriotism of the ethnic Chinese.
\nIt has additionally given rise to social envy in the community.<\/p>\n
In the context of managing the economic crisis, which is at
\nthe same time a crisis of confidence in the rupiah as well as in
\nthe government, the riots in Indonesia smack of racism and
\nreligious prejudice and should be contained in order to prevent
\ncapital flight. The solution of the rioting will also contribute
\nto the reinstatement of trust from the local and international
\ncommunity to the Indonesian government.<\/p>\n
Law enforcement is crucial to the restoration of trust and
\nwith the rule of law in force, a conducive business climate will
\nbe created by legal certainty. This is the time for Indonesia to
\nenforce the law and to introduce legal reform as well as
\npolitical and economic reforms. All the sub-systems have to
\nsupport the country's development. Experience shows that neglect
\nof the legal sub-system has caused the collapse of the Indonesian
\neconomy.<\/p>\n
Political observer Amien Rais' recent sympathetic statement in
\nYogyakarta that the ethnic Chinese are our brothers and sisters
\nhas played a part in calming anti-Chinese sentiment.<\/p>\n
This is the kind of statement expected from both the formal
\nand informal leaders of this nation, if the principles of
\nBhinneka Tunggal Ika (unity in diversity) are to be upheld
\nconsistently.<\/p>\n
Cool-headed and rational thinking is the key to success in
\novercoming the economic crisis. Economic and other reforms will
\nbe futile if ethnic tensions lead to capital flight.<\/p>\n
The world's great religions which are deeply rooted in
\nIndonesia like Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and Hinduism have
\nalways taught about brotherhood. What is lacking is perhaps a
\nfull comprehension of this.<\/p>\n
Another possibility is that materialism and hedonism have
\nconsumed Indonesia in the last 30 years of development. The
\nPancasila philosophy that is the nation's unifying force needs
\nrefreshing in its implementation and should not be made a mere
\npolitical slogan.<\/p>\n
Differences of opinion must be tolerated and accommodated in
\naccordance with the characteristic of a modern and democratic
\nsociety. The protection of human rights is the state's
\nresponsibility and indispensable to the political, economic and
\ncultural system it adopted. Although Indonesia is a multi-racial
\nand multi-ethnic nation, it is a unified one.<\/p>\n
The writer is a corporate lawyer based in Jakarta.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/riots-add-to-toll-of-human-rights-violations-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }