---------------------------------------------------------- Visit Indonesia Daily News Online HomePage: http://www.indo-news.com/ Please Visit Our Sponsor http://www.indo-news.com/cgi-bin/ads1 ---------------------------------------------------------- Kolom IBRAHIM ISA: --------------------------- 22.11.1999 SYMPOSIUM: TENTANG ETNIS TIONGHOA INDONESIA "Vrije Universiteit", Amsterdam, 20 November 1999. Pengantar: Pada hari Sabtu, tanggal 20 November y.l. , 1999, dalam rangka memperingati hari ultah yang ke-10 berdirinya organisasi "De Vriendschap", Nederland, telah dilangsungkan sebuah symposium mengenai "Orang-orang Indonesia Tionghoa: Masa lampau, masa kini dan haridepannya". Symposium yang dihadiri oleh kurang lebih 250 pengunjung itu, telah berlangsaung dengan lancar dan sukses. Acara sbb: - Symposium dibuka oleh ketua "De Vriendsxhap", Ir Oei Hway-liem. - Moderator: Prof. dr Paul J. Thung. Symposium dilakukan dalam bahasa Inggris dan Belanda. - Pembicara-pembicara: ** Ibrahim Isa, (Stichting Azie Studie). Sebuah tinjauan umum dari perspektif orang Indonesia. ** Drs. Mona Lohanda, (Universitas Indonesia): Pendekatan sejarah. ** Dr. Nico Schulte Nordholt (Universiteir Twente) : Problematik dewasa ini dan kemungkinan untuk haridepan. ** Prof. Mr.dr. Ko Swan Sik: Suatu pendekatan juridis kini dan dimasa mendatang. ** The Gwan Tjaij M.D. (chirurg): Pendekatan dari segi sosial, tanggungjawab dari golongan Tionghoa sendiri. ** Ny. Liem Bwn Tjie: Suatu pandangan yang dituangkan dalam rangkuman sajak. Diskusi yang merupakan acara penutup symposium berlangsung dengan hidup dan menarik Berikut ini disampaikan presentasi yang saya ucapkan pada Symposium tsb. : (Part 1) THE PROBLEM AROUND THE CHINESE MINORITY IN INDONESIA, AND THE PERIODICAL AGGRESSION AGAINST THIS GROUP A viewpoint of a "pribumi" IBRAHIM ISA Amsterdam, 16 June 1999 1. Prologue I would like to make an urgent recommendation, i.e. That the symposium will take into consideration one principle, i.e. To let every participant express his or her opinion as free as possible. Consider the wisdom of a Chinese statesman, who once said that in a discussion, one should "Let everyone say fully what is in one's mind, without any reservation or hesitation; The speaker is not guilty and the listener should be alert" Perhaps, only by so doing, it would be possible for this important symposium to achieve some result in understanding the problem as presented in the agenda of discussion. II. The ethnic Chinese minority in Indonesia The problem of the ethnic Chinese minority in Indonesia, hasn't emerged only recently. This problem appeared in the XIX century. When the first recorded anti-ethnic Chinese violence erupted in colonial Indonesia. Thus, it is a problem with a historical background. Is has a colonial past. A serious and meticulous approach towards this problem should be taken accordingly. Under the Dutch colonial rule, the ethnic-Chinese , widely known among the "pribumi" as the "keturunan Tjina" or the "peranakan Tjina" , was instrumental of the colonial policy, as a bumper of the rulers to protect themselves against the local people, which were called insultingly "inlander" by the colonialists. From time to time, the ethnic Chinese were effectively used as scapegoats. (Note: whereas the term "Tjina" in describing ethnic Chinese, is common for Indonesian since a long time ago; but, the policy of the New Order of president Suharto to change the term "Tionghoa and Tiongkok" into "Cina", is a clear indication to insult China and the ethnic Chinese in Indonesia) Having a specific status as "Eastern foreigners", the ethnic Chinese stood above the common local people. Some of them tend to harbour the feeling of 'superiority' vis-�-vis the indigenous people of Indonesia, which they considered as 'easy-going', 'subservient', 'docile', 'lazy' or even rather 'backward' people. Due to the special colonial policy of the Dutch towards them, the businessminded and scrupulous ethnic Chinese, , have more wide ranging opportunities to be successful merchants, small producers or even middle to middle-big businessmen. Mention should be made, however, that the vast majority of the ethnic-Chinese were as poor as the Indonesian proper. Conditions were created for the emergence of an non-Moslem , 'non-pri' upper and well to do layer of the society, living, side by side, so to say, with the millions upon millions of poor Indonesians. The envious feeling of the "pribumis" towards the rich and non-Moslem 'non-pris' turned into a potential gunpowder of ethnic exploitation and violence. III. Wealth, religion, status and non-politics-attitude of the ethnic Chinese Wealth, religion, status and non-politics-attitude of the ethnic Chinese have made their relation with the 'pribumis' even wider apart. However, at the beginning of the 20th century , under the influence of the Chinese Revolution led by Dr. Sun Yat Sen, and the publication of his programmatic book: "San Min Chu I" , there emerged personalities of ethnic Chinese in Indonesia, who begun to participate actively in the political movement for independence They were as patriotic and other Indonesian patriots. The process of integration of the ethnic Chinese into the life of the local people, which was preceded years before, by cultural intercourse, such as the acceptance of the local people of the popular Chinese opera (the wayang potehi), the widely used popular Chinese dresses and interior decoration for wedding ceremony etc., and the widely accepted popular Indonesian-Chinese music, namely the 'gambang kromong' and of the popularisation of Chinese culinary, has started. Many of the common ethnic Chinese were in good command of the local language, such as the Malay, Javanese, Sundanese, Minangkabau, Acehnese, Buginese, Ambonese, etc. Some ethnic Chinese journalists published newspapers or periodicals in the Malay language and in the Bahasa Indonesia. Well known personalities such as, Siauw Giok Tjhan, Tan Po Goan, Major John Lee, Tan Ling Djie, Tjoa Sek Ien, Oei Tjoe Tat, Yap Thiam Hien and others, are inseparable from the history of the Indonesian people's struggle for independence and democracy. IV. Peaceful living side by side for 100 years and more According to publicised records the indigenous Indonesian people has lived peacefully side by side with the ethnic Chinese for a hundred year and more. The local people appreciate the ethnic Chinese role as middleman merchants, who brought the much needed merchandise to their remote villages, and even allow them to pay in instalments the commodities the people can not pay in cash. The people and the Indonesian economy need the expertise and experience of the ethnic Chinese in making the national economy grow and expand. The ethnic Chinese holidays, such as "Imlek" , the Chinese Spring Festival, and the "Tjap Go Meh" were celebrated jointly by the ethnic Chinese and the "pribumis". Those are positive factors, which made the process of integration of the ethnic Chinese into the Indonesian society took place rather smoothly. However, there are those ethnic Chinese who choose to live exclusively and luxuriously, while the gap between the rich and the poor "pribumis" are still widening.. From time to time the specific attitude of the ethnic Chinese were felt as an insult to the 'pribumi'. Quite a number of ethnic Chinese businessmen were involved in the practice of bribing the bureaucracy and the military. In turn they will get important facilities for their business activities; apart from enjoying protection from the military. It is said that the ethnic Chinese have been made the "milking cow" of the corrupt Indonesian bureaucracy and military. But, to many Indonesians that sort of practice of the ethnic Chinese businessmen were regarded as promotion of corruption and collusion, pure and simple, that eroded the people mentally and morally. The "pribumis" regarded such practice merely as simple 'profit seeking'. Those negative aspects of the ethnic Chinese in their relation with the bureaucracy, military and local indigenous people, were easily made a weapon by the bureaucracy and the military to pursue their discriminatory and racist policy against the ethnic Chinese, themselves. V. Suharto policy vis-avis the Chinese The administration of president Suharto pursued a double-edged policy vis-�-vis the ethnic Chinese. During the period of 'changing of the guard' in 1965-1966, the New Order carried out an anti-Chinese and anti-China policy (The government accused the People's Republic of China, of intervention in the internal affairs of Indonesia). Thousands upon thousands of ethnic-Chinese were compelled to leave Indonesia. Many were brutally murdered. With them left the much needed capital out of Indonesia, causing much damage to the troubled national economy. Embarrassed by the counter-productive results of their own suicidal racist policy, the authorities made a 180- degree turn in their policy towards the 'non-pris'. The ethnic Chinese were 'quietly invited' even persuaded to return to Indonesia, and with them naturally the return of their capital, was expected. They were welcomed to invest in Indonesia, offering them generous formal and especially informal facilities so as to operate more comfortably in the national economy. But, at the same time the ethnic Chinese were excluded from access into the political power, excluded from the bureaucracy, the police force and the military; the ethnic Chinese students were allocated a very small number of place in the government run/subsidised higher education. This occurred even though the ethnic Chinese were law-abiding and have 100% status of citizens of the Republic of Indonesia. The ethnic Chinese were 'persuaded' to assimilate into the 'pribumis'. Hence, Chinese schools were closed, Chinese character were forbidden, the Mandarin was banned. Chinese holidays were scrapped from the official calendar. They were even pushed to change their Chinese names into Indonesian. So, a complete racist and discriminatory anti-ethnic Chinese policy have come into being. The ethnic-Chinese have become prisoners of the Indonesian bureaucracy and military, by means of the "assimilation" policy. At times, whenever the government was confronted with unsolved problems, be it political or economic , the ethnic-Chinese were made 'easy scapegoats'. To divert the attention of the people from those unsolved problems, an anti-Chinese violence was conspired and carried out, such as during the May 1998 anti-ethnic Chinese violence in Jakarta and other places of the archipelago. VI. Recommendations What should be done, what policy should be followed, to prevent and avoid such anti ethnic Chinese violence and brutalities. The following steps are recommended: 1) The government, i.e. the institution in control of the country, will abolish all discriminatory and racist regulations and laws, once and for all. New regulations and laws should be promulgated, that will make practice of discrimination and racism, such as imposed to the ethnic-Chinese, a crime and punishable. 2) In the field of national education, democracy and human rights, be made the most important subject to be taught in schools, higher education and in families, as the foundation in undertaking the task of 'nation-building' of Indonesia. People should be made to understand that every citizen of the country , is equal before the law and the state. There is only one single kind of citizen, i.e. the citizen of the Republic of Indonesia. No discrimination whatsoever will be allowed towards any ethnicity of Indonesia. Racist anti-ethnic Chinese sentiments and conceptions among Indonesian "pribumis" should be severely criticised and eradicated. 3) The solution of the ethnic Chinese problem, lies in the integral solution of the undertaking of the 'nation building' of Indonesia. Every Indonesian, including the ethnic Chinese, are to be taught that Indonesia consists of so many ethnic groups with different cultural background, that only on the bases of the philosophy of "Unity in Diversity"; only on the basis of mutual respect of each others ethnicity and their culture, can the Indonesian nation make progress and live in peace and harmony. Every citizen, including the so-called 'pribumis' and the 'non-pris' should be made to understand that each ethnicity of Indonesia, must have the full and equal rights to maintain their cultural heritage and tradition, within the common national culture of Indonesia as a new nation. Each ethnicity, including an ethnic Chinese, shall have full citizen rights, even to hold the highest office of the state, i.e. the presidency. 4) As a rightful and respectful member of the Indonesian nation, the ethnic Chinese shall be encouraged to abandon their exclusivity, and to take active part in the political and the cultural life of the whole nation. They will have to make even greater contribution for the promotion of education and social welfare of the people, especially by the ethnic Chinese, who are more well to do compared with others. They will join the national organisations and institutions that promote the integration of all ethnicity in Indonesia into a great and one single nation, the nation Indonesia, decorated with the mosaic of the colourful culture and tradition of each ethnicity. Each ethnicity, including the ethnic Chinese will have the opportunity to run their specific, but not exclusive, ethnic organisation. *** (Part 2) "FRESH BREEZE FROM SALATIGA" < by: Ibrahim Isa> November 20, 1999. < A re-edited translation of parts of "Fresh breeze blowing from Salatiga", December 18, 1998 > I.) Whose conscience is not thrilled, whose heart does not bounced with joy, reading the news about the way people of Salatiga <Central Java>, were comemmorating the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Apart from carrying a 'poster action' and 'action of 10.000 human flowers', they a.o. also staged the 'Barong Say' and the 'Liong' dances, which were enthusiastically welcomed and cheered by the crowd along the streets of Salatiga. Isn't this a genuine manifestation from the depth of conscience, the bottom of true feelings of the heart, of people known as 'pribumis' together with the 'non-pris'? An action that touches the heart of everyone with good intention and will for togetherness and unity, and for the continued life of the multi-ethnic and multi-religious nation. Indeed, it is strange, there are still some people who refuse to admit that quite a number of Indonesians are fond of the 'barongsay' festival, who are eager to join the 'Tjap Goh Meh' festival and participate in the Chinese Spring Festival celebration. Those festivities, for a long time have been regarded as part and parcel of the Indonesian culture. This is but natural and healthy in the life of a multi-ethnic nation, as Indonesia. The Salatiga manifestations became more significant, if one realizes that it happened at a situation in which rascist anti- Chinese-ethnic violence were still rampaging in different places in Indonesia. It is completely wrong to say or think that the Indonesian 'indigineous' people dislike the Chinese-ethnic. Different facets of the life of our nation and people, show that the 'indigenous' or 'native' Indonesians are very tolerant, and willingly adopt some of the tradition and culture of the 'new-arrivals'. The 'indigenous' Indonesian people have made parts of the tradition and culture of the new-arrivals as their own. They have integrated it into their own traditional culture, so to say. Let us look at the wedding costumes of our brothers and sisters in Sumatra, Lampung or in Jakarta; in fact in many other places of the archipellago. Let us look at the wedding costumes of the bride and the groom at wedding festivities in Indonesia to this time. We will discover the influence of Arab, Indian or Chinese traditional costumes upon Indonesian costumes. And they were never regarded as something 'foreign'. On the question of wedding costumes we never argue which are 'pribumi' and which are 'non-pribumi'. The influence of the 'new-arrivals' in Indonesia upon the 'natives' could also be seen in our folkdance, songs and music. Take for example the Indonesian 'gambus' music. In it one will recognize the influence of Arab culture; while on the Indonesian 'Jali-Jali' and "Gambang Kromong' instrumentals <both known as the old 'Betawi' music> one would see the influence of Chinese and Portugeese culture. I hope 'kenners' of Indonesia will correct me if I am mistaken. And what about the 'dangdut' beat in Indonesian 'pops' , isn't the influencce of Indian music recognizable? And what would we say about the influence of 'foreigners' , 'the new-arrivals' of migrants, upon our native <cuisin> kitchen. Can we mention with certainty of the so many varieties of Indonesian cooking, which are 'asli' or 'original', the 'real pribumis', and which are the 'non-pri's'. Suppose there were no Indians hundreds of years ago migrating to Indonesia. Then there will no 'cury spiced Indonesian original cooking' called 'rendang'. Not to mention so many Chinese marks on Indonesian kitchen. Now we will come to the most interesting phenomeno: Indonesian outlook, 'faces'. Can one tell which face-outlook-type repesent the 'pribumi' and which is 'non-pri' There are those who look like Cambodians, 'the Khmers'. People of these outlook are probably the majority. . And there are those who are similar to people from the Southern part of India, such as from Gudjarat. Some Indonesian have Arab feature. And last but not least . . . . . many more are very similar to the Chinese from Guangdong or Fujian. (Look at me, many Chinese friends of mine, are sure that I am adecendant of the early arrivals of Chinese migrants. It might be true, I didnt take the trouble to trace my ancesstors. And look at my children, they look like Chinese and due to their educational background, speak perfect Guo Yu (Mandarin), better than most Chinese here in Holland). Recently Gus Dur, the newly elected president of Indonesia, openly said that his ancesstors were of Chinese origin.Those natives who have Chinese features, are mostly the Kanauas, people from Minahasa, the northern part of Sulawesi. Also people from Palembang, Dayak and other places of Indonesia have split eyes and yellow skin. You can never tell which colour are the typical of the skin of Indonesian 'pribumis'. Balck, brown, light yellow, name it. Until this day the question of the arrival and the spread of Islam in Indonesia are still discussed among historians and religious circles. Some claimed that it was the merchants from Gudjarat who did it, and some others claimed that early Chinese Moslems were the messengers of Islam to Indonesia. But one thing is certain, the Islam was not the 'pribumi' religion in Indonesia, nor were Hinduism, Budhism and Christianity. We are lucky no body plan to bring this question into discussion. If it become topic of discussion, it will add one more controversial issue to the existing problems of Indonesia. Moreover it will disturb even more the troubled harmony of our society. That this did not happen shows to the tollerancy of the Indonesian people. II). At about 3500 years ago, flows of Southern Asia's migrants came to the Indonesian archipellago. They came from southern part of China and parts of the present Thailand, Indochina and Burma. They came to start a new life; they left their original lands in order to find a better place to live. They brought with them more advance knowledge and technique of agriculture compared to that of the 'pribumi's'. The progress of technical know-how of the natives in agriculture were due to a.o the new immigrants. The majority of Indonesian welcome and were ready to accept the new migrants, especially those who were ready to integrate themselves into the Indonesian society. Apart from seeking a new and better life in the newly found 'home', the new migrants from South Asia, were also contributing their bit in the advancement of different facets of the life of the Indonesian people. Thus, century after century has past, during which the Indonesian nation was formed out of the integration and amalgamation of the natives and the immigrants. Therefore the anti-Chinese policies enacted by the Indonesian authorities since the promulgation of the PP-10 of the Sukarno era, and even so the complete set of racialist policies, laws and regulations of the government of the New Order under former president Suharto, until the 12-15 May 1998 violence in Indonesia, are contradictory with the tollerant attitude and tradition of the Indonesian people since a long time ago. The anti-Chinese policy of the New Order was inherited from the Dutch colonial government. They served to keep rulers in power; it also serves to divert the criticism of the population against the administration upon some one else. It was instrumental to the policy of putting the blame on the misconduct of the authorities upon someone else, of shifting the blame of poverty and economic difficulties to the natives, to the ethnic Chinese.It was relatively easy for the Dutch colonial government to do that, because the authorities have for a long time made the ethnic Chinese community in Indonesia as a 'bumper ' between the colonial authorities and the native Indonesians. An analysis of the policy of 'assimilation' of the ethnic Chinese into the Indonesian 'pribumis', such as the policy of 'changing Chinese names' into that of Indonesian names, prohibiting the use of the Chinese language and characters, of closing Chinese schools and other educational institutions, of blocking ethnic Chinese, the 'non-pri's', into the high places of the bureaucracy and the police and military, could only bring us to one conclusion: The Suharto New Order government have created and carried out a ruthles and barbaric racialist and racist policy towards the ethnic Chinese in Indonesia. A policy that are contradictory to the feeling of justice of our people. One example of racist and racialist policy of the New Order, is this: Why is it that Indonesian of Indian , Arab or even of Dutch origins were not 'persuaded' to change their names with 'original' names of Indonesia. Why is it that Arabic charachters written at mosques and Moslem religious schools were allowed to stay? Isn't the Arabic character as something 'non-pris', something foreign? Speaking again about forcing to change some one's name: during the reign of the New Order regime, it seems that many more Indonesian 'pris' with names such as Johny, Andy, Mitchel , Fortuna, etc. May be one may ask, actually which is it that is called real or genuine Indonesian (pris) name? Is the name Alatas not of Arabic origin? Nevertheless,no one pursuaded Alatas to change his name! So, it seems clear to anyone that the policy of perusading others to change their names, are out and out, 100% racist policy. For my part, the more different names used for Indonesian, the more beautiful are the panorama of Indonesian mozaik culture. III). Bravo Chandra Wijaya! Bravo Elysa Nathanael! The progress of the understanding and the consciousness of the young generation of Indonesians concerning the building of the nation of Indonesia and Indonesian nation-hood are to be seen particularly at the time of the present reformation movement. The students and youth are an independent and shock-troops of the reform-movement. Different political parties tries hard to influence them and made them as their political vehicle, but so far in fain. Recently we can see the high consciousness of the new generation of Indonesian, as indicated by Chandra Wijaya and Elysa Nathanael, member of the national badminton team of Indonesia, who together with other team members, have won two gold medals at the recent Asian Games. They have fought hard together with other team members for the honour of Indonesia, their fatherland. Every body knows that these two young Indonesians and most of the other team members are Indonesian of Chinese origin, they are the socalled 'non-pribumis'. How touching it was to listen to their reaction of winning gold medals for Indonesia. "We all did our best for the sake of our fatherland, Indonesia. To win, is the best way I know in order to gain solidarity for Indonesia". "Finally, ev erything show that we are all of the same nation". " I was born and grew here, and my family is here. There is no other place for me than this country."I will continue to play for Indonesia, as long as I am productive. (Salomon, in The Wall Street Journal, 18 Dec. 1998.) Now let us listen what Elysa has to say: "At the one hand we want to play for the good name of Indonesia. At the same time the players were worried about the fate of their families in Indonesia. Indeed, during the anti-Chinese ethnic violence in Yogyakarta, the shop of the nephew of Elysa was burnt to ashes, and his own house was stoned by rioters. But the stand of Elysa does not change. She is an Inodonesian who feels like an Indonesian, and who regards Indonesia as her own country. The attitude and standpoint of Chandra and Elysa constitute an example for all of us. It serves as an example for Indonesians of Chinese origin, who have become pannick as a result of the anti ethnic-Chinese violence <this is understable>, who later have lost their confidence to Indonesia and her people. More serious is the attitude of those who regards all Indonesian as being racist and anti-Chinese. At the same time the attitude and standpoint of Chandra and Elysa and their friends in the national badminton team, is an example for Indonesian 'pribumis', who regard themselves as being 'genuine' or 'original' Indonesians, but who are to a great extent contaminated by the anti ethnic-Chinese poison. IV). In fact, there are many other Indonesian of Chinese origin, who cherish the same feeling and standpoint as that of Chandra and Elysa. Therefore, there is no reason to be pessimistic. Today different mass organizations as well as political associations or parties have emerged and are determined together with other ethnics in Indonesia, to fight against every manifestation of racist and discriminative policy. This is a healthy development of the situation in Indonesia. Most important is that they be firm on keeping the correct orientation of unity of the whole nation of Indonesia. No ethnics in Indonesia should feel superior than the other ethnics. There are no 'diligent' or 'lazy' ethnics, neither are there 'good' or 'bad' ethnics.As long as one keep to the principle of "Bhineka Tunggal Eka", 'Unity in Diversity", Indonesia will become one of the most beautiful nation with a mozaik of ethnics, comparable to none in this world. . The principle and spirit of "Bhinneka Tunggal Eka" could only be kept alive and flourish among Indonesian, as a result of strenous efforts. It can be achieved only through long education in morality, ethics and politics being carried out by the government, who has the authority, the duty, and the means. It is also the duty of the society as a whole to carry on the task of such kind of education. It is even the duty of each family and home to do their share in this kind of education.. Another kind of educating the people is by means of giving concrete good example. It can be ahieved through the founding of educational institutes, hospitals, scholarships, etc. by those ethnics who are better off than others, who are well to do, so to say. Solidarity between ethnics, means to allow each ethnic to preserve the tradition and culture of their anchestors, on the bases of expanding and strengthening the tradition and culture of Indonesian nation as a whole. It happened, that I am a Sumatran, a minority ethnic of Indonesia, but am very much committed to the realization of the principle of "Bhinneka Tunggal Eka" in Indonesia. I am especially very much concerned with the achievement of unity and harmony among different ethnics of Indonesia. Therefore I am hopefull that the young generation in Indonesia, especially the young activists of Human Rights, of anti-racism and anti-discrimantion will put more effort on this great task of the nation. The manifestation of Human Rights at Salatiga and the firm standpoint and attitude of Chandra and Elysa, which constitute a fresh breeze blowing from the Indonesian sky .Let it strengthen the current and stream of unity andharmony of the nation, consisting of so many ethnics, including the ethnic Chinese of Indonesia. * * * * * ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Didistribusikan tgl. 23 Nov 1999 jam 02:30:06 GMT+1 oleh: Indonesia Daily News Online <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.Indo-News.com/ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
