Unity through repression?<\/p>\n
I was alarmed after reading an article in the \"Across the
\nArchipelago\" section of the June 9 edition of The Jakarta Post
\nreporting that the speaker of the South Sumatra provincial
\nlegislature had publicly called on Chinese-Indonesians to use
\nIndonesian or the predominant ethnic language of the area for
\neveryday use. I was puzzled when, in almost the same breath, he
\nalso urged a stop to discrimination in the country.<\/p>\n
The speaker made the announcement after meeting with a group
\nof Taman Siswa University students who argued that the use of
\nChinese in public detracted from national unity and the
\ndevelopment of nationalism. They said the 1945 Constitution
\nstipulated that Indonesian was the national language.<\/p>\n
At the same time, the students asserted they fully supported
\nan end to discriminatory practices in the country.<\/p>\n
Do these students and the speaker actually believe that asking
\nan ethnic minority not to use their preferred language in public
\nis not discriminatory?<\/p>\n
If we take their logic a step further, then we should be
\nasking all Javanese living in Kalimantan not to use the Javanese
\nlanguage in public since they are indeed a minority there. And in
\nJakarta, the use of Javanese, Sundanese, Madurese, etc. should
\nnot be used in public since the predominant language here is
\nIndonesian.<\/p>\n
Or do the students and the speaker wish to only discourage the
\npublic use of languages not indigenous to the shores of
\nIndonesia? This would be a convenient way of saying that Chinese
\nis not welcome here.<\/p>\n
Being an American, do they propose that I should have to use
\nIndonesian when speaking in public with another American friend
\nto make sure we don't threaten national unity? Should two
\nIndonesians practicing English, Dutch or Japanese only do so
\nbehind closed doors? Or are the students and the speaker
\nproposing to single out only the Chinese language?<\/p>\n
The fact that they are not urging me, my Javanese friends or
\nmy Sundanese friends to use only Indonesian in Jakarta while they
\nare asking Chinese-Indonesians to do so is outrageously
\ndiscriminatory.<\/p>\n
Indonesian has been a truly unifying language for this
\ncountry. It has enabled people from Aceh to Irian Jaya to
\ncommunicate freely in everyday business, governmental and
\npersonal contacts. But I don't believe Indonesia's founders ever
\nintended the national language to stamp out regional and ethnic
\nlanguages in the process.<\/p>\n
To the contrary, Indonesia is rightfully proud of maintaining
\nits diverse cultural heritage. The question is: When will the
\nmajority of Indonesians accept the fact that Chinese culture,
\ntoo, is a part of this country's heritage since almost 10 million
\nof its citizens claim it as part of their ancestry?<\/p>\n
When a country singles out one of its ethnic groups by denying
\nor curbing the maintenance of its cultural heritage, then how can
\nthat group feel like it is a respected component of society? Is
\nnational unity forged through the repression of the country's
\nminorities?<\/p>\n
What has happened to the idea behind Indonesia's seal that
\nstates: Bhinneka Tunggal Eka (unity in diversity)?<\/p>\n
JAMIE DAVIS<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/unity-through-repression-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }