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.