Govt declares 'Imlek' as national holiday

Govt declares 'Imlek' as national holiday

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After decades of waiting, Indonesians of Chinese descent rejoiced
on Sunday when President Megawati Soekarnoputri announced that,
beginning in 2003, the Lunar New Year, or Imlek as the Chinese
new year is known here, would become an official national
holiday.

"I know many have asked for the Chinese New Year Imlek to be a
national holiday. For the sake of solidarity, I hereby declare
Imlek as a national holiday," Megawati said in an off-the-cuff
closing statement during the national celebration of the Lunar
New Year at the Jakarta Trade Fair Ground in Kemayoran, Central
Jakarta.

Her announcement was greeted by cheers of joy by around 2,000
Chinese Indonesians attending the celebration, which was
organized by the Highest Council of Confucian Religion in
Indonesia (Matakin).

However, the announcement must be followed by the promulgation
of a presidential decree before it becomes official policy.

Chinese Indonesians in the world's most populous Muslim
country regained their right to celebrate Imlek in 2000, when
former president Abdurrahman Wahid lifted a government ban.

Former president Soeharto imposed the ban in 1967, along with
many other regulations discriminating against Indonesians of
Chinese descent following an abortive coup d'etat attempt
allegedly carried out by the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) in
1965, which Indonesia blamed on China.

This year Imlek, which fell on Feb. 12, was celebrated as an
optional holiday, but most schools, stores and offices in the
capital and other provinces with large Chinese communities were
closed on the day.

Abdurrahman, who promised to make Imlek a national holiday
before he was ousted and replaced by then Vice President
Megawati, attended the celebration. Although Megawati and
Abdurrahman were sitting in the same room, they refused to greet
one other.

Religious Affairs Minister Said Aqil Al Munawar said after the
celebration that followers of Confucianism made up almost five
percent of the country's 210 million people and that the decision
to declare Imlek as a national holiday was fair, as each religion
currently celebrated national holidays.

Noted Muslim scholar Nurcholish Madjid also praised the
decision, but stressed that the government should go even further
in providing security and equal rights for Indonesians of Chinese
descent.

"In the end the government should pay attention to the rights
of those of Chinese descent," Nurcholish said.

Currently, the government is reviewing around 50 regulations
that discriminate against Chinese Indonesians.

Megawati also reminded the nation to accept differences of
religion, race and culture among Indonesian citizens and stressed
that everybody should work together to maintain peace and unity.

"For us, differences, as clearly seen in our pluralism, are a
fact. Like it or not it is the face of our country... I call on
all Indonesians to accept and respect differences," she said.

Also present at the celebration were People's Consultative
Assembly Speaker Amien Rais, Coordinating Minister for Political
and Security Affairs Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, National Police
Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar and Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan
Wirayuda.

Chinese culture in retrospect

1965: President Soekarno issues Decision No.1/1965 recognizing
Confucianism as an official religion in Indonesia

1967: President Soeharto issues Decree No.14/1967 banning
activities related to Chinese culture and Confucianism

2000: President Abdurrahman Wahid issues Decree No. 6/2000
revoking Decree No. 14/1967

2002: President Megawati Soekarnoputri declares the Lunar New
Year, or Imlek, to be a national holiday.