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)