Succes of Chinese may incite racism<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The economic success of ethnic Chinese
\nbusinessmen in Indonesia is causing material jealousy, and this
\nmay disrupt national stability.<\/p>\n
\"The success of ethnic Chinese businessmen in the economic
\nsector, especially those in the big cities, has caused a large
\nmaterial gap,\" Maj. Gen. Hari Sabarno, the Armed Forces' (ABRI)
\nassistant of socio-political affairs, said here yesterday.<\/p>\n
Speaking at a seminar on Indonesian-Chinese Trade and
\nInvestment Relations, Hari saw the ethnic Chinese businessmen's
\ndomination of the economy as a potential threat to national unity
\nsince it remained a vulnerable source of racial sentiment.<\/p>\n
When left unresolved, the material disparities will create
\nsocial turmoil among the people, he remarked.<\/p>\n
During the final session of the two-day seminar at the Sari
\nPan Pacific Hotel, the discussion of the panel turned to the
\nissue of the ethic Chinese in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
The panel was made up of noted scholar Abdurrachman Wahid,
\nChina's ambassador to Jakarta Qian Yongnian and the chairman of
\nthe Association of Indonesia-China Economic, Social and Cultural
\nCooperation (AICESCC) Sukamdani Gitosarjono.<\/p>\n
Of the total population of over 180 million, there are an
\nestimated five to six million ethnic Chinese living throughout
\nthe country. Though they hold Indonesian citizenship, their
\ndomination of the state economy has caused hostility to be
\ndirected against them.<\/p>\n
Ethnic Chinese conglomerates such as Liem Sioe Liong, Eka
\nTjipta Widjaja, Prajogo Pangestu and Rachman Halim are but a few
\nof those which tower over the nation's economy.<\/p>\n
Privileges<\/p>\n
According to Hari, the ethnic Chinese have enjoyed special
\nprivileges in business since the time of Dutch colonial rule,
\nallowing them to gain quick control of Indonesian commerce.<\/p>\n
Because of their domination of the economy, which has extended
\nthrough the 49-years of Indonesian independence, a brewing anti-
\nChinese sentiment still looms, evoking racial and sometimes
\nreligious tension.<\/p>\n
\"The exclusiveness of Indonesians of Chinese descent who band
\ntogether in enclosed groups, combined with the unaccommodating
\nattitude of other Indonesians, create these tendencies,\" Hari
\nexplained.<\/p>\n
Sukamdani acknowledged the potential for conflict in this area
\nwhen he said \"our people are very prone to jealousy.\"<\/p>\n
He called on the general public to change their attitudes and
\naccept the achievements of the ethnic Chinese and treat them the
\nsame way as other Indonesians.<\/p>\n
\"We have to rightfully acknowledge their success in the
\neconomic field,\" Sukamdani said. He added that Indonesians of
\nChinese descent should be judged by where they were born, not
\nwhere their ancestors were from.<\/p>\n
Abdurrachman concurred, saying that he himself had Chinese
\nblood but now considered himself to be fully Indonesian.<\/p>\n
I can still identify my Chinese ancestors who probably came
\nsome 17 generations before me, said the popular Moslem scholar,
\nmore affectionately known as Gus Dur.<\/p>\n
In his typical fashion, Gus Dur said that both Chinese and
\nnon-Chinese have something to gain by learning to be compatible
\nwith each other.<\/p>\n
\"We should facilitate assimilation without forcing it,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Convention<\/p>\n
Elaborating his views on Chinese-Indonesians' ties with their
\nancestral homeland, Hari pointed to last year's Second World
\nChinese Entrepreneurs Convention as a prime example of how
\nculture plays a commanding role in economic and even political
\nrelationships.<\/p>\n
Evaluating on the conference, Hari said the accords and
\nstatements made during the Convention psychologically yielded to
\na disagreeable response from non-ethnic Chinese.<\/p>\n
He felt that the conference clearly demonstrated the strength
\nof the Chinese ethnic solidarity.<\/p>\n
\"It is clear why the Indonesians of Chinese descent find it
\ndifficult to fully assimilate with the Indonesian culture,\" Hari
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He urged close attention to the matter since Indonesia has for
\nthe last decade opened trade links with the People's Republic of
\nChina.<\/p>\n
\"We have to make concerted efforts so that the ethnic Chinese
\nhere feel that they are Indonesian nationals and not 'overseas
\nChinese' who, when dealing with businessmen from China, are
\ncompelled to succumb to their motherland,\" Hari added.<\/p>\n
Ambassador Qian Yongnian said that his government has no
\npolitical or economic aspirations whatsoever towards the ethnic
\nChinese in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"In our economic and trade dealings with Indonesia we do not
\ndiscriminate between Chinese and locals,\" he asserted.(mds)<\/p>",
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