Indonesia for all

Indonesia for all

As in his first, Masli Arman's second letter on Nov. 16 made a
very tendentious, unrealistic and xenophobic analysis in
launching a debate with Leo Suryadinata. With his inaccurate and
very outdated data (from a 1930 census) Masli made a projection
covering 68 years solely based on personal views.

It is highly regrettable that Masli did not contact the
Central Bureau of Statistics which has the latest data on the
composition of Indonesia's population. It was fortunate that Sia
Ka Mou, in quoting Frans H. Winarta, had the data so that Masli's
very irrational writing was refuted in a letter to The Jakarta
Post on Nov. 20.

Mr. Arman, you may have had an unpleasant experience with an
ethnic Chinese that you cannot forget easily. You should know
that everybody certainly experiences similar episodes with a
person of whatever ethnicity in this world if, in daily life, he
often comes into contact with many people of different ethnicity.
It is up to us what attitude to take.

If you respond with a negative tendency, there will be only
hate left. This is seen from your examples of ethnic Chinese
behaving themselves in a bad way. The episodes were actually very
incidental but you have made a generalization of them (your
article in the Post of July 30, 1998). None of the examples were
good.

You should know that God never created an ethnic group that
has only bad characteristics. Likewise, God never made an ethnic
group in this world with solely good traits.

Your writings are very dangerous at this time because they
could give rise to hate of the ethnic Chinese, which in turn
could trigger new riots. You should remember that Indonesia does
not consist of one ethnic group only, like Hitler's ideals with
his Naziism which fought for race purification.

The Republic of Indonesia was established to unite all
existing ethnic groups in the archipelago. It certainly includes
the ethnic Chinese, who have also played a role in the struggle
of this nation.

You may not know that four ethnic Chinese joined in the Youth
Pledge (Sumpah Pemuda) in 1928. They were Ong Kay Siang, John
Liauw Tjoan Hok, Tjo Jin Kwie and Kwee Thiam Hong. Furthermore,
there were five ethnic Chinese who participated in shaping the
basis of our nation, i.e. Liem Koen Hian, Oey Tiang Tjoei, Oei
Tjong Hauw, Tan Eng Hoa and Yap Tjwan Bing, who became members of
the Investigating Body of Efforts for Preparation of Indonesia's
Independence.

There were many more ethnic Chinese national figures in all
fields, in the revolution era Rear Adm. John Lie, Tong Djoe
(still living, recipient of the Jasa Pratama award), Tony Wen,
Djauw Kie Siong. There are well-know national figures such as
Wongso Suseno, Rudy Hartono, Yap Thiam Hien, Ong Hok Ham, Ivana
Lie, Susi Susanti, Alan Budikusuma, Arief Budiman, Christianto
Wibisono, Kwik Kian Gie, Sofyan Wanandi, Imelda Wigoena, Verawati
Fajrin and many others.

Therefore, once again, it is strongly hoped that you will not
produce other writings that are solely based on ethnic sentiment
that may give rise to dictatorial tendencies of the majority
toward minorities.

THEODORUS WIDODO

Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara