The rights of citizens

The rights of citizens

From Media Indonesia

A few day ago I saw our President, Ibu Megawati, on TV and
heard her saying seriously that there were Indonesian people,
who, despite the fact they lived and earned their livings here,
always talked ill about their own country abroad. She then
suggested that these people, who are not proud of their country,
find themselves another country to move to.

I was born in Indonesia, live and earn my living in Indonesia
and I have never considered myself a citizen of another state
because Indonesia is my homeland. I was once entrusted to become
head of the neighborhood community in 1978-1993 in Kampung Bali
sub-district, Tanah Abang Jakarta and named as the chief of the
Polling Station Committee in the same district. However, during
the New Order my family and I were deprived of our civil rights
like other citizens in this republic. We could not have our
religion, Confucianism, stated on our IDs.

Early this month, my son went to the Civil registry in Depok
to have his marriage registered. The religion and the wedding
ceremony, which was performed by a Confucian clergyman and
according to Confucianism, was registered as Buddhism .

From the above experience, I am beginning to wonder how this
country is treating her own citizens in this reform era.

TJANDRA R. MULJADI, Jakarta