Minister calls for end to racism

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Social Services Endang Inten Soewono urged Indonesians to stop discriminating against the ethnic Chinese minority.

In her written address delivered by Directorate General for Social Welfare Development Waluyono, Inten lamented racial discrimination in Indonesia.

"Respect for one another, at every level of society, must be deeply cultivated," said Inten's address to a meeting of the Tao Spiritual Foundation and the Center of the Heir of Indonesia's Struggle.

According to Inten, national development does not differentiate according to race, religion or social categories.

"In fact, many circles admire our pluralistic society's harmony. It's all possible because of our Pancasila state ideology," the statement said.

J.H. Manurung, chairman of the Tao Spiritual Group, said that most members of the group were of Chinese descent and they wanted to assimilate and integrate into Indonesian society.

Taoism is a philosophical and religious system named after a central idea, Tao, or "the Way", which was founded in China. It is almost as significant as Confucianism.

Manurung said he expected a sound assimilation between the so- called indigenous residents and the "descendent residents", a term commonly used to refer to the Chinese ethnic group.

"We don't want to be called Chinese people because we are Indonesian residents. We are hopeful our offsprings' origins will not be made an issue," Manurung was quoted by Antara as saying. (14)