http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailheadlines.asp?fileid=20050208.B01&irec=6 Sowing seeds of social harmony in Year of the Rooster Pandaya, Jakarta The newfound freedom for ethnic Chinese-Indonesians to openly celebrate their Lunar New Year (Imlek) seems to have started a new dazzling tradition over the past couple of years. This year, as the economically powerful ethnic Chinese minority anxiously wait for the rooster to crow on Wednesday, new year fever has already swept the urban community. Glitzy shopping malls vie with each other for the most elaborate red and gold displays of Chinese cultural symbols. Customers are spoiled with holiday discounts and free cultural shows, from lion and dragon dances and burning-red lanterns to acrobatics. My eight-year-old son, a Javanese, has already made appointments with his Chinese-Indonesian buddies for home visits, hoping to get angpao, that small red envelope with some money in it, and moon cakes from the host parents. For exchanging pleasantries, he has learned two key words: Gong Xi Fa Chai and xie xie. Upscale hotels are also competing for more guests by offering anything from discounted rates to special Chinese cuisine prepared by the best Chinese chefs. Chinese-Indonesians can thank former president Megawati Soekarnoputri for making Imlek a public holiday in 2002. The move was a milestone in the long struggle to end the abhorrent discrimination against Chinese-Indonesians. The move is one of the best remembered legacies, if not the only legacy, of Megawati. The infamous anti-Chinese rioting of May 13 to May 15, 1998, that preluded the fall of president Soeharto highlighted the plight of Chinese-Indonesians. There was an outpouring of sympathy from around the globe, pushing subsequent administrations to revoke some of discriminatory laws. Looking further back, anti-Chinese sentiment was fanned by the anti-Communist propaganda which swept Soeharto to power in 1966. The Chinese were seen as communist sympathizers and thus public enemy number one. Although much still has to be done, Chinese-Indonesians now enjoy greater freedom than they did seven years ago. Amid the political euphoria of 1999, ethnic Chinese set up their own political party. Lately, dreadfully expensive "national plus schools" have begun using Mandarin as one of the official languages of instruction along with English. Chinese characters grace public places. Chinese-language radio stations fill the airwaves. All this would have been unimaginable in the Soeharto era. But celebrations may be premature. Beneath the euphoria runs a strong undercurrent of delicate issues. Despite the formal scrapping of discriminatory laws, complaints of extortion persist when ethnic Chinese face the state bureaucracy. Prejudice and resentment remains among the "indigenous" population. A reputation of being easy with the wallet when dealing with bureaucratic procedures further complicates matters. They have become especially easy targets because of their tendency to stick together in the same housing and business complexes, while often maintaining little communication with their pribumi neighbors beyond business needs. This "money buys all" perception eclipses all the generosity this small but wealthy segment of society often shows. Ethnic Chinese account for six to 10 million of the country's population. Nevertheless it is believed that they "control" some two-thirds of the country's economy. The perception of exclusivity is also harbored by pribumi employees of companies controlled by Chinese-Indonesian entrepreneurs. It is common knowledge that many key positions are "reserved" for fellow Chinese-Indonesians. No concrete study has been conducted to support these claims. However, it would be unwise for an ethnic Chinese boss to summarily dismiss these allegations Discrimination, nepotism, corruption and collusion are the enemy of all -- irrespective of ethnicity. When the rooster starts to crow tomorrow, and you perhaps proclaim your new year resolutions, put nurturing the seeds of racial harmony on the list. A happy and prosperous new year to all! The author is a staff writer of The Jakarta Post. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Give the gift of life to a sick child. Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's 'Thanks & Giving.' http://us.click.yahoo.com/lGEjbB/6WnJAA/E2hLAA/BRUplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> .: Forum Diskusi Budaya Tionghua dan Sejarah Tiongkok :. .: Kunjungi website global : http://www.budaya-tionghoa.org :. .: Untuk bergabung : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/budaya_tionghua :. .: Jaringan pertemanan Friendster : [EMAIL PROTECTED] :. Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/budaya_tionghua/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
