Ministry seeks explanation of racist policy in Garut regency
Ministry seeks explanation of racist policy in Garut regency
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The central government has asked for a detailed explanation from
Garut administration over its policy that has required the
Chinese community in the regency to pay the debts of a
businessman from that ethnic group.
Director General of Regional Autonomy Oentarto SM said on
Thursday that Garut Regent Dede Satibi would have to submit an
official report to the Minister of Home Affairs regarding the
controversial directive.
"The regent is obliged to report what is going on in Garut as
the case is rather sensitive," Oentarto told Antara.
He was responding to reports that the Garut administration had
shifted the burden of debt payment to all ethnic Chinese from a
man identified only as Acun, who had, since 1998, raised funds
mostly from military and police officers to finance his business.
A meeting attended by the Garut administration secretary,
police chief and district court chief on July 3 recommended that
all Chinese residents in the regency pay the unpaid debts of
Acun.
Oentarto said the case ought to be brought before the civil
court or, if possible, be settled out of court.
"The use of force is not the way to solve the case if legal
settlement fails," Oentarto said, adding that the policy
reflected that the Garut administration did not understand the
law.
He warned of possible excesses, including ethnic conflict,
resulting from the policy.
A group of ethnic Chinese in the regency protested the ruling
when they were invited to a meeting with local government
officials to discuss Acun's debt settlement on July 12.
Following the meeting they sought help from the Indonesian
Legal Aid Foundation and influential youth groups the Indonesian
Islamic Students Movement (PMII), the Association of Islamic
Students (HMI) and the Indonesian Nationalist Students Movement
(GMNI).
The organizations have lashed out at the Garut administration,
branding it a racist institution.