Ten parties pledge to end discrimination

Ten parties pledge to end discrimination

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Ten political parties signed a pledge to end all forms of
discrimination here on Thursday, including against Indonesians of
Chinese descent.

They, however, offered no real plan on how to eliminate
discrimination, leading to the suspicion that the pledge was
little more than a political ploy to attract the political and
economic support of the some six million Chinese-Indonesians
ahead of elections.

The country will hold a legislative election on April 5,
followed by a direct presidential election on July 5, with a
runoff on Sept. 20 if necessary.

Roy BB Janis of President Megawati Soekarnoputri's Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said his party consistently
backed initiatives to end all forms of discrimination.

"We must, however, improve the quality of interaction between
indigenous Indonesians and the ethnic Chinese as part of our
efforts to end discrimination," he said.

Chinese-Indonesians have historically been convenient targets
for social unrest due to their perceived control of the country's
economy and their alleged reluctance to assimilate with
indigenous Indonesians.

The secretary-general of the National Awakening Party (PKB),
Syaifullah Yusuf, said his party always upheld pluralism and
rejected discrimination.

All 24 political parties contesting the legislative election
were invited to sign the pledge, but only 10 showed up.

There was no explanation given for the absence of the other
parties.

Those parties that sent representatives to the event were the
PDI-P, the PKB, the Democratic Party, the Indonesian Justice and
Unity Party (PKP Indonesia), the New Indonesia Alliance Party
(PIB), the Marhaenism Indonesian National Party (PNI
Marhaenisme), the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS), the Socialist
Democratic Labor Party (PBSD), the Indonesian Democratic Vanguard
Party (PPDI) and the Indonesian Unity Party (PSI).

A supporter of the Freedom Bull National Party (PNBK) also
signed the pledge.

During a discussion before the signing, a member of the
organizing committee, Rev. Ronny Sigarlaki, said there were still
about 48 discriminatory regulations that affected Chinese-
Indonesians.

Indradi Kusuma, secretary of the Forum for National
Communication and Unity, urged the government to issue a law
ending racial and ethnic discrimination.

The House of Representatives has prepared an
antidiscrimination bill, which is still awaiting deliberation.

Human rights activist Albert Hasibuan said the newly amended
1945 Constitution and several conventions Indonesia had adopted
provided a legal basis for the recognition of human rights.

"Therefore, all laws and regulations must follow the
Constitution," he said.

Political scientist Ikrar Nusa Bakti from the Indonesian
Institute of Sciences said continued discrimination in the
country showed the problem was not only a matter of regulations,
but also was related to a lack of political will.

"The government has allowed Chinese-Indonesians to celebrate
the Chinese New Year, but that is not enough. There are still
numerous discriminatory regulations. It is the time to revoke all
of these regulations," he said.