Ethnic Chinese Indonesians

It concerns me that in spite of very recent events, you would publish such an offensive and factually incorrect letter as that from Sumarsono Sastrowardoyo, May 30.

To say that ethnic Chinese Indonesians are somehow to blame for being attacked recently because of their siege mentality is to defy logic. More than that, it encourages ignorance and prejudice, which result in real victimization. It seeks to justify looters.

Sumarsono is quite wrong and Chen Hsueh Chuang (May 23) is right -- ethnic Chinese Indonesians did fight against the Dutch alongside their brothers.

PETER FANNING

Jakarta