Eggs thrown at RI's liaison office in Taipei
Eggs thrown at RI's liaison office in Taipei
TAIPEI (Agencies): Hundreds of demonstrators hurled eggs at Indonesia's representative office in Taipei yesterday to protest the alleged rape of ethnic Chinese women during the Jakarta riots in May.
They burned incense sticks and set up an altar to mourn the ethnic Chinese killed during the May riots.
Shouting slogans and tossing paper money into the air to mourn the victims of the riot, they demanded Indonesia punish the rapists and compensate the victims.
"Indonesia must amend its constitution to guarantee equal treatment of both native Indonesians and immigrants," one protester said.
"Only so can the eight million ethnic Chinese live without fear of being discriminated against."
The protest was organized by the New Party and the Association of Returned Overseas Chinese in Indonesia.
The protesters marched on to the Foreign Ministry to demand Taiwan allow Indonesia's ethnic Chinese under the age of 24 to study in Taiwan schools.
Lawmaker Lee Ching-hua, who led the protesters, demanded that the Indonesian government apologize, compensate the victims and reassure to the world similar incidents will never happen again.
Taiwan and Indonesia have no diplomatic ties but have representative offices in each other's capitals to issue visas and handle trade.
Taiwan has condemned the atrocities against ethnic Chinese women and urged Jakarta to investigate the rapes and punish the culprits. Taipei said it would allow the rape victims to come to Taiwan to seek medical treatment.
Foreign Minister Jason Hu said Indonesian President B.J. Habibie has assured Taiwan officials that authorities will severely punish those responsible.
Meanwhile, organizers of a world conference of Chinese writers said five ethnic Chinese writers were barred from leaving for Taiwan. The writers were to report on the atrocities in Indonesia at the meeting that opened yesterday, they said.
Meanwhile in Beijing, China yesterday urged the Indonesian government to punish rioters who brutalized the country's ethnic Chinese minority during disturbances.
The Communist Party newspaper People's Daily said that justly treating ethnic Chinese and safeguarding their lives and property would help restore Indonesia's international prestige and attract investment, speeding economic recovery.
Indonesian authorities "should look squarely at the facts with a serious attitude, take genuinely strong steps as soon as possible, sternly punish lawbreakers," the newspaper said in a front-page commentary.
People's Daily articles are vetted by senior officials and reflect government thinking.
The People's Daily said ethnic Chinese were continuing to make "unremitting efforts" to help Indonesia's economy recover.
"As positive, important members of Indonesian society, their legal rights should be respected, their lives and property should be protected effectively," the newspaper said.