Government renews recognition of rights for Confucianists

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid renewed the government's commitment on Sunday to acknowledging the equal rights and position of Confucius believers among the country's religious followers.

"Just as with other believers, Confucius followers also have equal rights and opportunities in Indonesia...all discriminative actions against Confucianism must end," Abdurrahman said in his address to the Chinese community who celebrated the Lunar New Year at the Senayan tennis indoor stadium on Sunday.

Abdurrahman, who was wearing a Chinese shirt, underlined the government's respect and recognition of the existence of Confucianism along with its rights to grow, live and flourish in the country.

Also present at the celebrations were People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Amien Rais and several ministers.

The event was organized by the Highest Council of Confucian Religion in Indonesia (Matakin).

The ethnic Chinese community regained their freedom to profess their own religion and beliefs and to celebrate their traditional festivals following a Presidential Decree No. 6/2000 dated Jan. 17, 2000, which annuls Presidential Instruction No. 14/1967.

The annulled presidential instruction restricted the ethnic Chinese community from carrying out activities based on Chinese religion, beliefs and tradition, including celebrations of the Lunar New Year.

"I would like to renew the government's commitment to stay out of religious issues. Let every religious believer take care of their own beliefs. As we have all learned, any government intervention would only create negative consequences," Abdurrahman said.

He further asked the Chinese community in Indonesia to consider themselves Indonesians, while others should stop discriminating the non-indigenous ethnic community.

"It is totally incorrect to say that some of us are indigenous and some are us are of Chinese descent. If we want to build a strong Indonesia, we should no longer differ indigenous from being of Chinese descent," he remarked.

"It is okay for people to keep their Chinese names but a more important thing for them is to learn to live as Indonesian people."

MPR Speaker Amien echoed the President, saying that people should no longer use the term of Chinese descent.

"We only recognize Indonesian citizens. I completely agree with the President," Amien remarked. (dja)