Business climate

As a European Union citizen I have found it impossible to open a small (tourism) business in Indonesia, even though I have been married 12 years with my Indonesian wife. It's difficult for me to understand why this system is so obstructive.

Even small-scale businesses create jobs. Employers are also consumers and they pay taxes -- and I pay my taxes.

In Indonesia, I experienced never-ending hassles with a corrupt and inefficient bureaucracy. The immigration department kept threatening me with expulsion and my children were not allowed to attend a local school.

Why is this? In contrast, we had few problems with ordinary people or our neighbors.

I have a dream: That one day I may get the same treatment from officials as I did from my friends and neighbors.

U. BURGSTALLER
Vienna, Austria