History blamed for assimilation's failure
JAKARTA (JP): Disharmony between ethnic Chinese and indigenous communities was the failure and "success story" of Soeharto's regime, which included the dominant political party Golkar and the Armed Forces (ABRI), analysts say.
According to Rusdi Muchtar, a researcher at the National Institute of Science, the Soeharto regime "cornered" and abused this ethnic minority.
During his tenure, for example, the majority of native Indonesians were encouraged to draw connections between the Javanese and the island of Java, the Dayak tribe with Kalimantan, and so on.
"This territorial orientation has pushed people to the conclusion that the Chinese have no territory here. They're Chinese and therefore strangers," Rusdi said.
HS Dillon of the state-sponsored Body for National Unity (Bakom PKB), argues that the crisis arose because the authorities continually denied the existence of problems in the field.
"Most of the institutions which should have served as pillars of a pluralistic society -- as dictated by our constitution -- have failed miserably. I blame both Golkar and ABRI. These two pillars should have functioned as leaders (in the push) for a pluralistic society," Dillon said.
"Let's review ABRI's position," he said.
"A written regulation limits the number of ethnic Chinese officers who can become generals," Dillon argued.
"Similar restrictions apply to ethnic Chinese representation in the bureaucracy," he added.
"What I'm trying to say is this: do not accentuate differences; we should build upon similarities. Or in the end we will have one ethnic group killing another," Dillon advised.
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Chinese-Indonesians were divided into two groups. They adhered to either the assimilation or integration policy in their pledge of solidarity and loyalty to the Indonesian nation and people.
The group proposing the assimilation process was Lembaga Pembina Kesatuan Bangsa (LPKB), embryo of the current Bakom PKB.
Members of LPKB suggested that one of the best ways Chinese- Indonesians could foster acceptance from indigenous Indonesians was for them to change their Chinese names to Indonesian ones.
LPKB also advocated intermarriage between ethnic Chinese and local people and departure from Chinese-oriented culture as other means to quicken the nation-building process and cease discriminatory practices against Chinese-Indonesians.
Prominent LPKB members included: Auwyang Peng Koen (PK Ojong, founder of Kompas daily), Lo Siang Hien (Lo Ginting, SH), Ong Hok Ham, Harry Tjan Tjoen Hok (Harry Tjan Silalahi) and Ong Tjong Hay (K. Sindhunata).
The second group, Badan Permusyawaratan Kewarganegaraan Indonesia (Baperki), proposed that the ethnic Chinese could integrate with the indigenous group and remain loyal to the Republic of Indonesia while maintaining their Chinese identity.
Baperki -- later banned by the government for allegedly siding with the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI) -- received the backing of then president Soekarno.
Baperki, chaired by Siauw Giok Tjhan, also enjoyed the support of former state minister Oei Tjoe Tat.
The assimilation policy has been implemented for more than 30 years and is adhered to by most Chinese-Indonesians. Nonetheless it has failed to abate the indigenous community's acts of racist incitement against the Chinese.
Despite the adoption of assimilative measures by Chinese- Indonesians, last year's riots and the sporadic burning and looting of Chinese-owned shops are examples of prevalent racist sentiments. (emf/gis/ego/bsr)