Wibowo strides between two worlds<\/p>\n
T.Sima Gunawan, Contributor, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The problems of the Chinese in Indonesia are quite complicated.
\nIt seems the Chinese are doing well here as some of them have
\nmanaged to develop business empires and even become
\nconglomerates.<\/p>\n
But the anti-Chinese riots in 1998, which later forced
\npresident Soeharto to step down, provide clear evidence that
\nthings are actually not as good as they look.<\/p>\n
But at the beginning, that was not the reason why Ignatius
\nWibowo became a sinologist. In the late 1970s, he became a
\nstudent at the University of Indonesia, majoring in Chinese
\nLiterature, because he was told to do so -- not by his parents,
\nbut by his "supervisor".<\/p>\n
"Yes, I am a Jesuit priest," said the 51-year-old man. He was
\ndirected to take Chinese studies to help try to find out why in
\nsuch a great land, so few people believed in Christ.<\/p>\n
The more he learned about China, the more interested he
\nbecame. "It's interesting and challenging," he said.<\/p>\n
He later enrolled in the graduate study program of the School
\nof Political Sciences and the postgraduate program in Chinese
\npolitics.<\/p>\n
Wibowo, a lecturer at the University of Indonesia, still
\npreaches at Jakarta Cathedral once every month or two, the only
\ntime when he wears his clerical garb.<\/p>\n
"Speaking before my students is much easier. I know exactly
\nwhat they need and what to say. But I don't know what the
\ncongregation have in their mind. I don't know if they like my
\npreaching or not, and I can't use the sort of scientific terms
\nthat I use with my students. I have to ... you know, it's like
\nchanging my way of speaking," he told The Jakarta Post last
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
Wibowo is the director of the Center for Chinese Studies,
\nwhich has published two books and issues a bimonthly newsletter
\ncalled Djeroek Poeroet. Once a month, it holds a discussion on
\nChinese issues in cooperation with QBWorld.<\/p>\n
The center, which is in the process of setting up a website,
\nwas set up in 1999 to address issues affecting both mainland
\nChina and the ethnic Chinese in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
"I am surprised that so little attention is paid to such major
\nissues," he said.<\/p>\n
He observed that this lack of knowledge on the issues involved
\nmakes Indonesia unable to address them properly. "For example,
\nthe tremendous economic development of China ... we can feel the
\nimpact in the form of an influx of cheap products here. Because
\nwe don't really know what's happened there, we might respond
\nnegatively by accusing them of unfair business practices, or even
\nof attempting to destroy our economy," he said.<\/p>\n
"We would be able to respond more positively if we could
\nreduce our image of China as a threat and instead build a better,
\nmore constructive relationship with China."<\/p>\n
According to Wibowo, the problems of the ethnic Chinese in
\nIndonesia was another issue, but it has the cultural affinity.<\/p>\n
"Understanding the problems of mainland China helps us to
\nunderstand the problems here," he said.<\/p>\n
One of the biggest problems for the ethnic Chinese in
\nIndonesia is confusing about their identity and how to position
\nthemselves in local society. There are some Chinese who still
\nfind it hard to adapt Indonesian society, while others have
\nmanaged to integrate themselves well in the local milieu. "But
\nthe latter were also the victims of the May riots, which shows
\nthat the Indonesian people themselves have not fully accepted
\nthem."<\/p>\n
Despite the national motto of unity in diversity, the Chinese
\nare not regarded as being on a par with other ethnicities like
\nthe Javanese, the Ambonese or the Batak people as the Chinese do
\nnot have a clearly defined territory, he said. "Once I asked a
\nman if he was Chinese. But, instead of admitting he was Chinese,
\nhe said `I am Bandung man'."<\/p>\n
And how about Wibowo himself?<\/p>\n
"I don't really care about my identity. My Chinese blood,
\nlet's say is about 20 percent. I have a Javanese grandparent, and
\nfrom my mother, I also have Dutch blood," said Wibowo<\/p>\n
"One's identity is subjective and identifying someone by the
\ncolor of his skin is basic racism," he said.<\/p>\n
Born in Ambarawa, Central Java, in 1952, he grew up in
\nSurakarta where he developed a fondness for wayang shadow puppet
\nshows, Javanese traditional gamelan orchestras, and Javanese
\ndance.<\/p>\n
Wibowo, who lives in a house in Central Jakarta with seven
\nseminarians, leads a modest life. He takes the train to his
\nuniversity in Depok, and hires a taxi only when necessary. Three
\ntimes a week, early in the morning, he spends half an hour or so
\nwalking briskly around the block to keep fit. In his spare time,
\nhe reads, plays the organ or visits friends for a chat or a talk.<\/p>\n
He said he is concerned about what he called the spirit of
\nanti-intellectualism among scholars due to the lack of drive to
\ndeepen their knowledge and engage in research. They tended to
\nquote foreign experts and only a few of them could contribute new
\nthinking, he regretted.<\/p>\n
Wibowo is currently conducting a comparative study on
\ninvestment policies in China and Indonesia -- how China can
\nattract so many investors while Indonesia is being shunned. He
\ntakes the view that China is successful because of collusion
\nbetween investors and the authoritarian government. "Investors do
\nnot care whether a country is democratic or authoritarian. What
\ncounts is profits," he said.<\/p>\n
"But my research is still at an early stage.," he quickly
\nadded.<\/p>\n
He enjoys his work very much, finding scientific activities
\n"stupefying". "They can make you crazy," he said, laughing.<\/p>",
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