Ethnic Chinese out to forge new ties
Ethnic Chinese out to forge new ties
JAKARTA (JP): Prominent Chinese-Indonesians reasserted on
Thursday their intention to become a true part of the Indonesian
community, vowing to overcome the history of violence which has
swirled around their community.
Senior journalist Jakob Oetama and politician K. Sindhunata
discussed the issue of discrimination against the ethnic Chinese
community during the launching of a book, Masalah Tionghoa di
Indonesia (Problems of the Chinese Community in Indonesia), by
Junus Jahja. The author is known for promoting the assimilation
of the ethnic Chinese into the Indonesian community. The other
speaker at the event, which was held at the Indonesian Institute
of Sciences, was former minister of transmigration Siswono
Yudhohusodo.
Jakob said the May 1998 violence against the ethnic Chinese
community was a blessing in disguise, because the community took
measures to prevent a reoccurrence of such violence, including
establishing neighborhood security patrols.
The period following the resignation of former president
Soeharto also brought the ethnic Chinese community new freedom of
expression and the opportunity to decide their own destiny, Jakob
said.
"These developments reflect the intention of the Chinese
community (to become part of society as a whole)," he said.
Jakob stated the hatred against ethnic Chinese for their
involvement in corruption was unfair, saying, "it takes two to
tango," referring to the involvement of native Indonesians in the
corruption.
An executive of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Sindhunata,
described his personal struggle to help his community assimilate.
He underlined the government's inconsistent policies toward the
ethnic Chinese, which contributed to the inconsistent treatment
of the community.
He also said all societal groups were interrelated. "If
Indonesians cannot absorb and understand the cultural
characteristics of a minority group, we will experience even more
problems in the future."
Sindhunata said PAN chairman Amien Rais' pledge to reopen
Chinese schools if he won the presidential race would not be a
solution to the problems faced by the ethnic Chinese community.
He said in 1967 he supported the closing of Chinese schools
and promoted the Indonesian language, while discouraging the use
of the Chinese language.
However, he endorsed the teaching of Chinese and Japanese in
high schools, citing the important role the languages played in
the region compared to French and German.
Siswono said law enforcers failed to maintain their
impartiality in handling issues related to the ethnic Chinese
minority. He said he once met a group of ethnic Chinese youths
who complained about being portrayed as corruptors, adding that
the Bank Bali scandal was just the latest example.
He emphasized the need for those in power to treat Chinese-
Indonesians, as well as other minority groups, with honesty and
compassion.
"Has our feeling toward (minority groups) reflected love, or
are we only expecting them to love us," he asked.
Junus Jahja said Indonesia's younger generations appeared to
be more able to accept each other, though economic gaps still
hindered assimilation.
"The Chinese have been cornered by the growing perception that
Chinese businessmen are to be blamed for the economic and
monetary crisis," he said.
He regretted regulations which directly or indirectly set the
ethnic Chinese minority apart from the rest of society.
He said it was unfortunate various political parties exploited
Chinese cultural manifestations such as the Barongsai (dragon
dance) to win the vote of the ethnic Chinese. He said this
phenomenon reminded him of the Chinese chauvinism of the mid-
1950s.
He pleaded for Indonesians to forget the past and concentrate
on assimilating. "Let bygones be bygones." (06)