Chinese-Indonesians

Chinese-Indonesians

At the beginning of World War II, Japanese-American citizens
were put in concentration camps throughout the United States by
then president Roosevelt. Sensing this mistake, the government
subsequently released them and later on, the Japanese-Americans
formed Japanese battalions in the American army fighting against
Japan. Japanese-Americans have been respected citizens of their
country ever since.

Our badminton champions, most of them Chinese-Indonesians,
have defended the honor of Indonesia, despite the fact many of
their associates left the country. We have a lot of respect for
them.

But when my wife was a lecturer in philosophy at the Taruma
Negara university 10 years ago, many Chinese-Indonesians
confessed they had their passports ready to leave the country in
case of trouble here.

Unless they change their siege mentality, the feeling of
always being victimized and the lack of commitment to this
country, what happened not so long ago will be repeated over and
over again.

Mr. Chen Hsueh Chuang's opinion in his letter in the May 23
edition of The Jakarta Post -- that Chinese-Indonesians fought
alongside us against the Dutch -- is erroneous. Maybe Mr. Chen
was still too young to know. Most Chinese-Indonesians fled the
country or worked with the Dutch, while we struggled to get
independence.

SUMARSONO SASTROWARDOYO

Sawangan, West Java