DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE CHINESE

Sarah Azizah Wiratama

23/516191/EK/24429

Being the world largest archipelago, Indonesia required to develop basic imperative such
as the principle of plurality. The Indonesian national motto "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" captures this
diversity. The pluralism principle in Indonesia is neglected and misused as time passes in its
turbulent past. Discrimination in Indonesia originated from the period of Dutch colonialism.
There was a deliberately push to divide the Indonesian populations during the period of Dutch
colonialism. Europeans, Foreign Orientals, and Indigenous Indonesians. In 1746, the
government release Wijkenstelsel and passenstelsel, a policy that required Chinese ethnics to
reside in separate neighborhoods and required permission to leave their
neighborhoods.Chinese land ownership was forbidden by the agrarian constitution as well.
Chinese schools and cultural performances are banned during the Soekarno era. Chinese were
deported because they didn't have Indonesian citizenship. Those that stayed had the option of
leaving or enrolling in a Bahasa course. Soekarno also prohibited the Chinese community from
trading in remote areas in 1960. Furthermore, individuals were required to own an SBKRI, which
is an official document that acts as proof of their citizenship. They will be labeled as non-pribumi
and given an individual code to make them identifiable. During the new order in 1965, the
government treated the Chinese with greater violence as a result of the massacre initiated by
the Indonesia Communist Organizations on September 30th. At least 500.000 suspected
communists, either genuine or alleged, were slaughtered. Then comes a deliberate campaign
against Chinese people. Soeharto (the former president during the new regime) outlawed the
use of the Chinese name, language, traditions, and schools. The Chinese were also denied
access to careers in the military, police, civil service, and universities. The Chinese population
was transformed into a second-class civilian by Soeharto's political policies. Another riot broke
out in 1998. The anger toward the Chinese for their wealth was a major cause of the riots. Many
Indonesians blamed the Chinese for the crisis since they dominate so much of the country's
economy. They expressed their anger by burning numerous Chinese stores and by murdering
and raping the Chinese women.

The community of Chinese Indonesians, who have been exploited as a scapegoat during the
new order, start to receive concessions from the incoming president. Through executive orders
and legislation, they begin to address the discriminatory issue. Chinese people, according to
B.J. Habibie, share rights equally with other. The policy of Soeharto restricting Chinese people
from doing cultural performances was revoked by Abdurahman Wahid. He add the Chinese
New Year as a national holiday as well. In UU No. 12 Tahun 2006, published by Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono, Chinese citizens of Indonesia have been identified as natives. Even
Though in the formal yuridistic, discrimination politic segregation is already extinct. We can’t
deny that in the practice, culture, and people’s mentality this segregation is still appears. The
tension between the Chinese-Indonesia community and other “pribumi” Indonesian still remain
to this day. The discrimination we faced today are different than what we faced previously.
People tend to practice indirect discrimination, by doing it online. For instance, when the news
of the COVID-19 spread out in Indonesia. They feel agitated when they discover that the virus
came from China. They are straight to speculate and make theories regarding the virus. They
blame the Chinese for being responsible for the pandemic. They even insult the chinese culture,
by accusing the unique food Chinese people consume is what makes the virus emerge.
Chinese and communist are still being two things considered related. People avoid entity form
Chinese ethnicity to be our leader because people afraid they will bring communist ideology to
Indonesia. This is the result of the political discrimination and the social-politic segregation done
by our authorities. The jealousy and hatred we have towards the Chinese is no other came from
those discrimination politics made by the former government that descend through generations.
Those perceptions and stereotypes came from the high ego of the “pribumi” and the feelings to
not want to lose against them, since we feel they are always more superior than us.

The practice of discrimination is still occurs. Although it is classified on different scales then
what occurs from the past. The Chinese are still living their life feeling threatened, insulted, and
mistreated. The policies made by the government from time to time always seem centralized to
one ethnics or region. It Is our duty as the future leader of the nation to evaluate our politics and
constitution by generalizing it. Conduct a physical revolution by strictly denouncing any kind of
violence related to discrimination. Enforce the criminal law against it. We have to strengthen the
implementation and voicing back our identity, which is pancasila and “bhineka tunggal ika”. As a
nation with a long historical background we should not supposed to neglect the fact that the
Chinese has a great contribution regarding our country's development. Therefore, it is
necessary for us to feel united with one another since we all are having the same feeling
towards this country. The hope is that Indonesia can overcome these prejudice that have been
passed for generation and rid the nation discrimination through all of its manifestation
RESOURCES :

https://factsanddetails.com/indonesia/Minorities_and_Regions/sub6_3a/entry-3994.html
https://www.journal.unpas.ac.id/index.php/jomantara/article/download/5753/2430
https://journal.unnes.ac.id/sju/index.php/ijpgc/article/view/56879