'Chinese able to enrich RI culture'

'Chinese able to enrich RI culture'

The Chinese New Year, known here as Imlek, was celebrated by
Chinese-Indonesians and the rest of the nation on Thursday.
Despite the official discrimination they still face, the ethnic
Chinese community welcomed the government's decision to declare
Imlek a national holiday. The Jakarta Post spoke with some
people about the issue.

Alek Ansawarman, 27, is a lecturer at the Indonesian Christian
University in Cawang, East Jakarta. He lives in Jatinegara, East
Jakarta:

The fact that Imlek is now freely celebrated and even
recognized as a national holiday shows that the ethnic Chinese
have been accepted as part of the Indonesian nation.

The recognition of Chinese culture and traditions will
eventually help the Chinese shed the feeling of being alienated,
giving them a more open attitude toward other ethnic groups and
fostering a sense of belonging and patriotism toward Indonesia.

Chinese culture will also enrich the country's cultural
diversity, while from the point of view of international
relations, Indonesia will be able to show that it is indeed a
civilized nation after being totally disgraced by the 1998 May
tragedy.

From an international trade perspective, Indonesia could
benefit from the ties of the ethnic Chinese here with the global
Chinese community.

Catherine Rahadi, 27, is an editor of Outmagz magazine. She
lives in Pondok Labu, South Jakarta:

I have always supported the concept of multiculturalism where
we truly understand each other by learning each other's cultures
and traditions. I have no objection to the celebration of the
Chinese New Year. In fact, I totally support it.

What I slightly disagree with is the trend to commercialize
Imlek, but that probably a problem with other holidays as well.

I fear the commercialization will make the people miss the
essence of the holiday. It should be about cultural exchange,
experience and understanding, according to me.

-- The Jakarta Post