Discrimination not good

I'm responding to Mr Farid Baskoro's Western view published in the "Your Letters" column of The Jakarta Post on June 22, 1995.

Dear Mr Farid Baskoro, it is always good to bring attention to people's mistakes, especially when it concerns discrimination of race. Of course, the behavior of the people mentioned in your letter is certainly wrong. But, don't put too much butter on your head, because you are suggesting in your letter that racial discrimination is something purely western. I assure you that this is not true.

I've already spent a long time in Indonesia and heard many discriminatory remarks from Indonesians. When I, or another westerner, wants to buy something, we have to pay more or have to bargain much longer because we are white. The distinction is made purely on the color of our skin and is, therefore, as discriminating as your examples.

Another example is that foreign tourists at the Prambanan and Borobudur Temples have to pay five times as much as Indonesian nationals (maybe understandable) and that these tourists are distinguished from Indonesians only by the color of their skin. When I lived in Yogyakarta, I went to Borobudur with twelve Indonesian friends and was picked out of the row because I was white. My father, who is dark colored had no problem obtaining a 'WNI' ticket when he tried, after hearing my story.

So, please Mr Farid Baskoro, do not talk about discrimination as if it is something only western people do. Look also at the other side and do not try to find something to pinpoint on westerners only, to say how bad they are, but try to convince everybody that discrimination itself is not good.

EGBERT MONE

Bekasi, West Java