Assimilation slow for Chinese-Indonesians

Assimilation slow for Chinese-Indonesians

JAKARTA (JP): The assimilation of Indonesians of Chinese
descent remains inert because there remains a lack of historical,
social, economic and cultural understanding of the nation's
history.

"For example, many Chinese-Indonesians and non-Chinese do not
know that their ancestors fought hand-in-hand against the Dutch
colonialists," said sociologist Mely G. Tan, who helped organize
a three-day seminar on the issue.

"Do Chinese-Indonesians feel at home here? Have they become
Indonesians? This is the question that we still have to ask
ourselves," she said.

Mely was speaking at a media conference on Thursday at the
close of the three-day seminar, titled Chinese-Indonesians:
People and Their Culture.

The seminar featured such prominent speakers as Daniel S. Lev
of the University of Washington, Claudine Salmon of the French-
based National Center for Scientific Research, Leonard Blusse of
Leiden University, Dede Oetomo of Airlangga University in
Surabaya, Gondomono of the University of Indonesia and researcher
Daniel Dhakidae.

Mely also pointed to the fact that Indonesians of Chinese
descent were often targeted during riots.

"Almost all the shops targeted in riots belong to Chinese-
Indonesians. Why? Because they are visible and they sell staple
foods. Chinese-Indonesians have always been silent about this,"
she said.

One immediate concrete step that should be taken to redress
this situation is to end the official discrimination of things
associated with the Chinese culture.

During the New Order era, Chinese characters were banned and
other Chinese cultural traits were restricted.

The phobia against all things Chinese was partly the result of
the failed 1965 Communist coup, which the government alleged was
in part encouraged by China, she said.

However, many of these restrictions have been slowly relaxed
under the leadership of President Abdurrahman Wahid.

"We call for all discriminative regulations against all ethnic
groups or races, including those against Indonesians of Chinese
descent, to be revoked. Everyone is equal before the law, as
stated in the 1945 Constitution.

"A better understanding between all people is needed. We are
Indonesians. Our authenticity lies in our nationhood, which is
being Indonesian. Only after that can we speak about our
diversity," Mely said. (edt)