 ASIAWEEK, Week of June 19, 1998 - Letters & Comment
WHEN PEOPLE ASKED ME my nationality, I used to confidently and proudly answer, "Indonesian." That's before the mobs attacked my house and told us, "Chinese dogs, crawl back to China." That's before they hit my sister and aunt. That's before I saw singed buildings and broken windows and buildings daubed "Belongs to Pribumis" or "Belongs to Muslims." That's before I read in local newspapers about rape victims, who were mostly young Chinese women (even a 12 year old). The words pribumi (native) and keturunan (non-native) used to sound ridiculous to me. I have no problems socializing with pribumi friends. I often hang out with them. Some of my cousins are married to pribumis.
Bottom line, I used to feel confident about my Indonesian nationality until that awful night on May 14. A fast change of mind? Tell me how you would feel, if people, their eyes filled with hatred, shouted "Cina anjing, Cina bangsat, Cina babi" [China dogs, China lice, China pigs] in your face and spat on you? Or how would you feel if their hands were all over you, harassing you?
"Don't be a half-hearted Indonesian," wrote Iwan D. Diran addressing "Yenni Kwok and others" [LETTERS & COMMENT, June 12]. I sincerely hope he meant all Indonesians, native or non-native. Tell me, Mr. Diran, how much more do we have to do?
I'm not trying to put all the blame on the pribumis. It was my pribumi neighbors who saved us and have protected our house up until now. My pribumi friends are very supportive.
I have to admit that some Chinese can be oh-so-repulsive when it comes to racism. I'm just so fed up, reading remarks about how Chinese should mingle and "how low can you go," as if all the Chinese never mingle or feel proud of Indonesia, their country.
I've never felt so terrified and outraged. Horrified by the ordeal and unsure about the future of Chinese-Indonesians. Furious about the lack of consideration from some Indonesians, governments, and the international community. Is sufficient help being given to the rape victims? None of us deserves to be treated like that. But does anyone care?
Christine Susanna
via the Internet
 | Racism is one of the ugliest faces of our existence. I have encountered racism even in the modern and sophisticated countries like Australia and America. From my experience, I find that a person who has many friends from wide-ranging ethnic groups tends to be quite tolerant. It is the uneducated and the people not exposed to multi ethnic environment that I fear the most. In a way, I think their racism behavior has to come from their fear of the unknown and they try to conceal the fear with hate.
Although we try not to judge people and make as diverse friends as possible, sometime it is wise to have preparation for the worst case and avoid living and working near high risk area.
I am so sorry that you have to experience the horrible event first hand.
On the other hand, I was AsiaWeek’s Reader and I believe I may have read your letter on the magazine before. I applaud your initiative to increase people’s awareness so that the dark chapter of our lives will not be happening again.
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