Chinese Indonesians launch political party

Chinese Indonesians launch political party

JAKARTA (JP): Encouraged by the new openness sweeping
Indonesia, a group of Chinese Indonesians launched a political
party here yesterday to campaign for racial equality.

"We want to defend our rights and create true harmony among
Indonesian citizens," Ponijan, director of the Widyatara language
school and a founder of the Chinese Indonesian Reform Party
(PARTI), told The Jakarta Post.

Ponijan called on the government to start treating citizens of
Chinese descent fairly in political, economic, social and legal
matters.

"The government has so far discriminated against us. It, for
instance, differentiates us on our identity cards," Ponijan
claimed.

The Chinese Indonesian minority has often been made a
scapegoat in Indonesia, largely because it dominates the economy.

Last month, hundreds of Chinese shops were targeted by looters
and arsonists during the riots here which saw over 5,000
buildings damaged or burned.

But with the new government pledging democratic reform, a
small coalition of ethnic Chinese entrepreneurs said that now was
the time to take to the political stage. Chinese Indonesians make
up only 4 percent of the country's 202 million population.

The establishment of the new party was announced yesterday by
Ponijan, who was accompanied by National Youth Committee
executive Lieus Sungkharisma, businessmen Julianus Juta and Cecep
Adhisaputra, and F. Alexander Ferry, who is a student.

Ponijan strongly criticized the government's record regarding
its citizens of Chinese descent, including a requirement that
ethnic Chinese students provide their parents' proof of
citizenship before enrolling in a university.

Ponijan said the party would endorse its own candidates in the
coming general election which President B.J. Habibie has said
would take place next year.

He said the party's candidates would not have to be ethnic
Chinese but would be individuals willing to fight for reform and
equal treatment of all citizens.

A Chinese Indonesian political party existed early this
century under Dutch colonial rule, but its political clout faded
after Soeharto rose to power.

Separately, a number of junior lawyers from the Jakarta Legal
Aid office announced yesterday the establishment of Solidaritas
Nusa Bangsa, a group to battle discrimination. (byg)