Ethnic Chinese who fled urged to return home

JAKARTA (JP): Moslem leader Abdurrahman Wahid and top businessman William Soeryadjaya urged the thousands of Chinese- Indonesians who fled the country in the wake of last month's riots to return and help revive the nation's stalled economy.

Abdurrahman, 57, leader of the 30-million-strong Nahdlatul Ulama Moslem organization, and William, 75, founder of the Astra International business group, said in a joint statement here yesterday that the return of the country's ethnic Chinese, especially those with entrepreneurial skills, was crucial in helping the nation of out its economic doldrums.

They both acknowledged that Chinese-Indonesian entrepeneurs formed the backbone of the country's business sector, and that it would be difficult to resuscitate the national economy without them.

"So, please return because we need you all to revive our economy," Abdurrahman told a news conference at his house in Ciganjur, South Jakarta.

Abdurrahman disparaged those who have regarded the departure of the ethnic Chinese as an opportunity for indigenous Indonesians to take over the country's economic reigns.

"I consider that opinion as a mere daydream," Abdurrahman said, adding that it was unrealistic to think that indigenous Indonesians alone would be able to rebuild the economy.

"For years, I have been saying that without Chinese-Indonesian citizens...there would not be an economy here.

"At that time, I came under fire for saying that but it is still my opinion."

Chinese-Indonesian businesses and establishments perceived to be owned by them were main targets in the riots which hit several major cities last month.

Indonesians of Chinese descent account for only 4 percent of the country's 202 million people but are estimated to control 70 percent of the economy.

The Ministry of Justice said earlier this month that more than 150,000 Indonesians and foreigners fled the country in the wake of last month's riots which led to the downfall of Soeharto.

The ministry said 70,837 Indonesians, mostly of Chinese descent, left the country from airports and seaports in Java, Bali and Sumatra.

The ministry said that as of the end of last month, only 27,616 Indonesians had returned.

Safety

William was optimistic that the ethnic Chinese would eventually return to Indonesia.

"It is only a matter of time," he said.

But he predicted that the swiftness of their return would depend very much on the government's ability to ensure a secure environment.

"They have been through such a bad experience, so we all pray that they can forget that," William said.

Both Abdurrahman and William stressed the importance of continued government reassurances over the safety of its ethnic Chinese citizens.

Furthermore, the government must provide some form of legal certitude, they said.

"In order for all Indonesians of Chinese descent who are now abroad to return to Indonesia, the government must guarantee their social, economic and political life...the making of a certain law to ensure this should be considered," they said in their statement.

Abdurrahman said other religious and community figures should support statements by President B.J. Habibie and Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen. Wiranto who have guaranteed the safety of Chinese-Indonesians.

"There are many leaders and they all should demonstrate the same attention to our Chinese-Indonesian friends," Abdurrahman said.

Wiranto called on members of the Armed Forces last week to act firmly to ensure people's safety. He warned that those who continued to undermine public order would suffer the consequences.

William yesterday called on his fellow ethnic Chinese citizens to make efforts to assimilate once they returned to Indonesia.

"They should not seclude themselves and they must conduct business fairly," William said.

Abdurrahman admitted that the assimilation process could not be done in a matter of one or two generations, but that it could take generations. (byg)