Chinese frequently the target of violence: Scholar

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesians of Chinese descent, regardless of economic class, have long been the victims of sporadic violence because the government has failed to reduce socioeconomic tension, a scholar said yesterday.

Economist Rizal Ramli said at the first day of a discussion on state violence that Chinese people often fall prey to resentment and a belief that they invariably become rich because they profit from government facilities at the expense of "native Indonesians".

However, he said, "more often than not the Chinese who become victims of violence were those who have never enjoyed such facilities. They are usually people from (lower economic classes)." Those of Chinese descent who have profited can easily flee when violence erupts, he added.

Resentment is generally felt by both natives and so-called non-natives, he said, because officials tend to provide more facilities, credit and assets to non-natives. Government officials even prefer to take bribes from non-natives because, he said, they're more discreet.

Favoritism has also led to the country being run by poorly qualified people, he said.

"Those who rise to the top layer of society are not the best native sons, but those who profit from rampant nepotism...the grandsons or nephews of people in power," he said. "They are not able to compete with the non-natives who are more skillful, more trained."

The seminar is being held by the Indonesian Society for Pesantren (Islamic boarding schools) and Community Development in cooperation with the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy. The participants at the seminar, which ends today, are primarily Moslem leaders as well as social activists and observers.

Other speakers include political observers Arbi Sanit, Alexander Irwan, A.S. Hikam, Mochtar Mas'oed, and Moslem leaders Abdurrahman Wahid and Cholil Bisri.

Rizal also criticized the government for its lack of "systematic strategies to reduce social and economic gaps." He cited Malaysia as an example of a country which has successfully implemented measures and policies to decrease the gaps between Chinese and ethic Malays.

He said Indonesia will only be able to rid itself of tension- producing social and economic gaps by cleaning up government. "As long as there are corrupt officials there will always be discriminatory treatment," he said.

He suggested beginning with education as a means to reform. Special educational facilities could be provided free for talented children, he said, adding that Malaysia has already applied such policies.

"Indonesian children don't have the incentives to excel academically," he said. "What would happen if the government gave students the opportunity to go to the best schools for free?"

Alexander Irwan in his paper presentation focused on violence in general elections. The violence is an indication of the "poor political legitimacy of this government".

He cited as an example the recent violence against the two minority parties -- the Moslem-based United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI). In mid-July, he said, a PPP activist in Sampang, Madura, was threatened with a machete into signing a certain document in front of members of the ruling Golkar grouping and the Armed Forces (ABRI).

"This highlighted the political alliance among Golkar, the bureaucracy, organizers of the general elections, ABRI and the police," Irwan said.

"The violence against supporters or members of PPP and PDI is an indication of the government's poor political legitimacy," he said.

"Had the Indonesian people liked the government's economic and political policies, there wouldn't have been any need for the power holders to be dishonest," he said. (swe)