Indigenousness

From Bisnis Indonesia

Lutfi Heyder's letter in Bisnis Indonesia, June 8 (The Jakarta Post June 15), is interesting and I am very grateful to him for not discriminating against us. He shows that by employing Chinese-Indonesians in his business.

As an Indonesian of Chinese descent, I would like to express a number of thoughts on the indigenous/nonindigenous relationship.

I have seen that several of my friends have assimilated themselves. They fulfill the criteria set by Lutfi Heyder, although perhaps with some shortcomings.

At the time of the riots, the immoral masses did not look whether the victims were citizens who had assimilated themselves or who had committed collusion.

Most of the victims were nonindigenous citizens who did not understand the increase of staple food prices, the fall of the rupiah, etc.

This distinction between indigenous and nonindigenous, doesn't it come directly from the government? Take, for example, marking nonindigenous citizens' identification cards.

When the riots were raging in Jakarta, many inhabitants of Bumi Serpong Damai, Villa Melati Mas and Kelapa Gading (housing complexes with a strong resident diversity) put notices like Milik Pribumi Murni (owned by pure indigenous people) in front of their houses. Who discriminates?

Indonesians of Chinese descent do not ask for special protection but they do ask for the right to lead a decent life as human beings.

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