China concerned over Chinese-Indonesians

China concerned over Chinese-Indonesians

BEIJING (Agencies): China is "strongly concerned" over the sufferings of Chinese-Indonesians victimized by looting and alleged rape in Indonesia's May riots, Foreign Ministry spokesman Tang Guoqiang said Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.

China has repeatedly urged Indonesia to discover the facts behind the riots accompanying democracy protests that forced the resignation of then president Soeharto, Tang was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency.

"Steps need to be taken to avoid such misfortunes happening again in the future," Xinhua quoted Tang as saying.

Indonesia should protect Chinese-Indonesians' legal rights and personal safety, he added.

Tang said Chinese-Indonesians had contributed significantly to the economic and social development of the country.

Critics charge that Indonesia's security forces did little to stop rioters who targeted ethnic Chinese, resented for dominating business in Indonesia, and looted their homes and businesses.

Women's rights activists claim 168 girls and women were raped during the violence, most of them Chinese-Indonesians. Twenty of the rape victims were murdered by their assailants, the groups say.

Outrage over the May attacks has grown steadily among Chinese worldwide, sparking protests outside Indonesia's representative offices in Taipei and Hong Kong. Women organizations in Singapore and Malaysia have also condemned the violence.

Indonesian President B.J. Habibie has formed an independent commission to investigate the rapes, in addition to a general investigation into the rioting and other human rights abuses.

In a separate report, the China Daily said Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan raised Beijing's concern Tuesday with his Indonesian counterpart, Ali Alatas, during a meeting in Manila.

China has carefully filtered media reports on the riots that led to Soeharto's downfall and has treaded cautiously on the subject of the attacks against ethnic Chinese.

China has rejected outside criticism of its uncompromising handling of political protests and ethnic troubles. It is also mindful of the anti-Chinese bloodbath in Indonesia in the 1960s when tens of thousands of Chinese were killed, many because of perceived connections to the radical communist movement of China's then leader Mao Zedong.