Generalizations about Madurese incorrect

Generalizations about Madurese incorrect

JAKARTA (JP): To Amir Santoso, a Madurese academic living in
Jakarta, most accusations being made by Dayaks against their
former neighbors in Central Kalimantan simply make no sense.

The claims of rudeness, of longstanding violent behavior, and
of failing to adapt to Dayak culture were all undermined by the
simple fact that many Madurese had been living in Sampit for up
to four generations.

"I acknowledge that there are some criminals among the
Madurese, just as there are in other communities," said Amir, a
member of the Indonesian Humane Foundation set up to help victims
of Sampit.

"But I cannot accept the opinion that all the Madurese are
criminals. Generalization is always wrong.

"If they are all criminals, why were they able to stay there
for such a long time?"

The same applied to accusations that Madurese in Sampit were
rude or aggressive.

"How can they say that when they had been living in Kalimantan
for years, for three generations or four generations?"

Many of the Madurese in Central Kalimantan "were born there
and do not know about Madura. Many also have no family in
Madura".

Claims that the Madurese did not assimilate with Dayak culture
were nonsense when considering that many had Dayak husbands or
wives, Amir, a professor at the University of Indonesia, said.

Asked why immigrants from South Kalimantan and Java sided with
the Dayaks in their complaints, Amir said he believed members of
the Dayak political elite had curried favor ahead of elections
for governor and bupati, or district chief.

He said that some Dayaks, being in a minority in the
provincial government, had exploited feelings against the
Madurese in efforts to win majority support.

Amir, who lectures in politics, said the laws being proposed
to restrict access to Central Kalimantan were discriminatory.

"It seems to me the regulations go too far ...

"If one province makes a discriminatory rule like that, that
will be used as a precedent by the other provinces."

Such regulations were also unwieldy and unworkable, and open
to being corrupted by officials.

Concerning the Dayaks' demand for an apology for having caused
the violence, Amir said: "No, we will refuse. ... No, no, we
refuse to do that." (Peter Kerr)