Expatriates contribute to RI

Last Sunday's survey of expatriates in Indonesia was great. We have lots of "expatriates" back home as well, but ours are free of charge. We call them immigrants. Last century when we freed the slaves we had to import labor. We opened up the country and foreigners flocked in.

Our "white people" are an industrious lot. For instance, take a look around a Brazilian football stadium. Around the field you'll see names of companies and trademarks which you don't see worldwide. They are the companies founded by our immigrants.

They brought lots of skills. We have the Germans in glass making, musical instruments and - of course - nuts and bolts. We don't pay royalties for our beer. They founded two breweries. We thank the Japanese for their horticulture. Our diet improved a lot after the Okinawans arrived. The Americans make footwear. The Lebanese are in trade. Eastern Europe's Jews brought textiles. (Now they compete with the South Koreans). The French taught us to cultivate apples. The Italians brought wine, salami and pasta. The Dutch fill KLM jumbos with cut flowers and strawberries. The Austrians stopped making cheese as they can earn more money from tourists visiting their "typical" Austrian towns.

Far from trying to interfere in your internal affairs, but maybe it would be a good idea to start giving an Indonesian passport to these bules (whites) who marry Indonesian ladies. They may not all produce Indonesian industrialists, but surely -- going by our experience -- at least they will produce wonderful footballers and hellish car racers.

OSVALDO COELHO

Bandung, West Java