Reform is only skin deep

Reform is only skin deep

President Megawati Soekarnoputri and Chairman of the People's
Consultative Assembly (MPR) Amien Rais impressed many when they
attended the Chinese New Year reception in Jakarta last week.

How could the public not be impressed?

The presence of the two top national leaders, both looking
sleek in their Chinese attire befitting the occasion, lent
credence to the country's commitment to pluralism, and to
respecting the rights of the Chinese, the country's largest
minority racial group, to observe their cultures and tradition.

This is the first time that Chinese New Year was made a
national public holiday, as a recognition not only of the size of
the Chinese community in Indonesia, but also of the important
role it plays in the nation.

The many colorful lion and dragon dances performed in public
places, banned during the Soeharto regime, are further testimony
of the country's improving race relations.

It is therefore easy to conclude that Indonesia has made
significant progress during these last five years of Reformasi
when it comes to race relations, especially with regard to the
question of the ethnic Chinese here.

But as far as the reform credentials of both Megawati
Soekarnoputri and Amien Rais, they probably do not go much deeper
than the silk of the fine Chinese clothing they wore a few nights
ago. They just look like "reformists", but their commitment and
actions are highly questionable.

Both Megawati and Amien's rise to the national leadership is
owed, in large part, to the 1998 reformation movement. They have
both failed to address the question of racial discrimination that
still exists in this country.

They could have used the reception last week to convey the
message to those present, including many leading Chinese-
Indonesian figures, of their commitment to wipe out all of the
remaining discriminatory laws and regulations.

Instead, they have chosen not to act or comment, even while
the issue has been fiercely debated in public during the
observance of the Chinese New Year.

The bad news came from the government's staff at the Ministry
of Justice and Human Rights, and the State Secretariat, who,
amidst the debate, dropped the bombshell last week: The racist
rules are here to stay, at least for a little while longer.

Both government agencies pointed to the existing 1958
citizenship law as the basis of the government practice of
requiring Indonesians of Chinese descent to obtain a court
document as proof of citizenship (SBKRI). This rule is applied
even if one is born in this country. Even if one's parents
already have the document, it is still required, and will likely
be for one's children and grandchildren.

The government says that as long as the 1958 law is not
repealed, the practice will continue. The government is drafting
a new legislation on citizenship, but with the House of
Representatives flooded with more than 50 bills to deliberate, it
will be a long time before the new law can be enacted, if ever.

This SBKRI ruling is one of about 60 other government rules
and regulations that discriminate against Chinese-Indonesians on
the basis of the color of their skin.

Sadly, going by the government's attitude to ignore altogether
the entire issue of discrimination against the Chinese community,
it looks like changes, if they ever come, will only come slowly.

Most of the changes that we saw in the last five years have
been largely cosmetic.

The Chinese already celebrated the New Year -- albeit secretly
-- annually even when the government forbade an open display of
their cultural expressions. A holiday to mark the new year is
certainly welcome, but that is not the biggest issue confronting
the Chinese community in Indonesia today.

Racism, and especially one that is institutionalized through
laws and government regulations, is the challenge that needs our
urgent attention.

Institutionalized racial discrimination, in turn, breeds the
prejudices that still exist in our society. You eliminate the
racist rules, you will gradually phase out these racial
prejudices in society.

By ignoring the problem, and by refusing to revoke the laws
and regulations, this government is not only condoning racism, it
is also promoting and nurturing it.

This, in short, is a racist government.

All that we really needed in this campaign to eliminate racism
was a strong political will from the top.

President Abdurrahman Wahid, perhaps the only true pluralist
among present day leaders, started the process to eliminate
racist laws and regulations after he was electd president in
1999. Sadly, he did not see his work completed as he was toppled
prematurely in 2001.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri or MPR Chairman Amien Rais,
who is a presidential hopeful himself, could have used the
Chinese New Year reception last week as a platform to make their
position on the issue clear. They chose not to.

But then, as we have learned about some of our leaders by now,
their reform credentials are only skin deep.