Guarantee urged for Indonesians who fled

JAKARTA (JP): The Coordinating Agency for National Unity (Bakom PKB) called on the Armed Forces yesterday to provide a security guarantee so that the estimated 40,000 Indonesians of Chinese descent who fled abroad in the wake of unrest can return.

In a meeting with Minister of Home Affairs Syarwan Hamid yesterday they discussed efforts to attract these Indonesians home and solutions to cases pertaining to ethnic and religious relations.

"Without a security guarantee, it will be very difficult to get them home," deputy chairwoman of the agency, Rosita S. Noor told reporters.

"It's only logical if they ask for security protection from the Armed Forces upon their return," she added.

She asserted that people should not question the sense of nationalism of those who fled abroad since they did so in search of physical safety during the riots which hit several cities in May.

"They left the country because their lives were in danger," she said.

Indonesians of Chinese descent only comprise about 4 percent of the population, however they are widely recognized as dominating the economy.

Attacks on Chinese-owned properties were a conspicuous feature of the May riots.

Economists believe that their return would also mean the return of a large amount of capital, which went abroad together with the Chinese-Indonesians.

Rosita said the minister responded positively to their proposal and suggested there should not be any indigenous and nonindigenous dichotomy in Indonesia's social, political and economic dictionary in the future anymore.

"There should not be such a dichotomy anymore. We are supposed to be united as a nation," Rosita quoted Syarwan as saying.

She said they also discussed plans to expand the agency's remit into a mass organization.

"We want to get involved in operational activities instead of just performing our consultative and conceptual roles," she said.

Included in Rosita's entourage were political scientist Bachtiar Aly, businessman Justian Suhandinata, senior journalists Fikri Jufri and Lukman Umar and Golkar official Krissantono.

Bakom PKB was set up to enhance relations between Indonesia's indigenous and nonindigenous community. (imn)