Dear Sirs,

Subject: Request for protecting minority ethnic Chinese human rights in Indonesia

This had been our second letter to you as we haven't received any response from you. The violation of minority ethnic Chinese human rights in Indonesia had started decade ago ( such as discrimination on their identification card, restrictive quotas for entering government universities, etc ), with the culmination on May 13 and 14,1998 in Jakarta where thousands of ethnic Chinese properties looted and burned, ethnic Chinese girls raped. Rampaging mobs stopped cars and motorcycles, and if the passengers were ethnic Chinese, the vehicles were burned on the spot and the passengers beaten.

Even Catholic priest Sandyawan Sumardi disclosed findings that support the recent conclusion of the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas ham) that last month's riots , in which almost 1200 people died, were organized.( see Jakarta post dated June 6 1998 page 2 under: Organized groups behind recent riots: Sandyawan).

In a seven page report published on June 5,98, Sandyawan , a rights activist for the Volunteers for Humanity, said that a common pattern had preceded. He cited witnesses and victims who said they saw gangs of people arrive in trucks and buses to start rioting, burning and looting, before moving to other places. He said these unidentified people then mingled with the crowd, yelling anti-Chinese slogans and started the rampage……… A boy involved in the looting of Jatinegara Plaza in east Jakarta admitted he had been trained along with thousands of other boys at a number of locations, including Cilangkap, Ciracas, and Pondok Gete in east Jakarta, Bekasi and Bogor.

On the raping cases, there is a solidarity group for women, working to ask the victims disclosed their encounter. The victims were ethnic Chinese.

Even Mochtar Pakpahan ( Labour union of Indonesia - SBSI- which just released from prisoner by new President Habibie) admitted that Chinese Indonesians doesn't possessed freedom in the freedom country (Indonesia).

With so much evident, we urge you to establish a working group for monitoring ethnic Chinese human rights in Indonesia. After such group established, you should make the world know especially Indonesia, otherwise, the indigenous Indonesia will think they have the right to beat the minority ethnic Chinese as they like.

Appreciate for your fast response to our letter. Your response will be publicized in the related websites.

Sincerely yours,

Reformist for Ethnic Chinese Human Rights in Indonesia ( Rechri)
xpose@mailexcite.com