Racial implication

Mr. Widjaja's remarks about pribumi (indigenous people) and non-pribumi (nonindigenous people) in his letter Indonesians of Chinese descent on June 20 is right. The distinction of indigenous and nonindigenous people has a racial overtone.

In fact the burning, looting and raping of ethnic Chinese which the world saw last May surpassed the pogroms against the Jews in Europe. It was the end result of a policy, systematically pursued for decades by the Soeharto government, to foment racial hatred against the Chinese minority. Even the pejorative name Cina was deliberately chosen to humiliate and disgrace the ethnic Chinese.

It is the imperative task of the present government not only to overcome the economic crisis, but also to restore the good and harmonious relations among all ethnic groups in Indonesia.

In this sense I would like to see the government take steps to prohibit the use of pejoratives, including the now popular name bule for whites.

Why can't we simply say orang kulit putih?

ERIKO SUNARDO

Vienna, Austria