We hope the riot in May 98 is a wake up call to all of you. After the tragedy in 1965 all Chinese Indonesians choose to tolerate and live in peace among Indonesia’s Moslem population hoping they would allow you to survive peacefully. The recent riots and rapes prove this attitude to be a total failure.

Your extreme tolerance and silence actually encouraged more discrimination and humiliation; shops were burnt, boys were killed, and girls were raped. You are now pushed to the wall and have no room to retreat. Now the only way to survive is to unite and resist (in a peaceful way) to regain your basic rights and dignities. I have the following suggestions for the oversea Chinese Indonesian.

(1) Create organized groups in all big cities
Many Chinese Indonesian are scatter around the world. Those in big cities should hold meetings to discuss the creation of an organization. Name is not important, we just call it Anti-Racism in Indonesia (ARI) for now. It is important that people attend the meetings and are willing to make a definite commitment and compromise with others. First you must create an organization and elect an executive team. Without an organization, a lot of things cannot be done.

In some universities there are many Chinese Indonesian students, they should create their own student association. The student association should work closely with the local ARI group or as a supporting group for local ARI.

(2) Identify project activities and take action
After the organization is created with an executive team, then try to identify the projects to be done. The projects have to be within your capability. There are many projects that can be done such as:

(A) Petition
Make a petition to the government of the residing country requesting them to apply pressure to the Indonesian Government. Petitioning is a good starting project because it is easy to do, cost effective, it generates publicity, and it involves many volunteers that will build up their friendship through working together.

(B) Contact politicians
Try to make contact with politicians and let them know about the plight of the ethnic Chinese in Indonesia. If we can get their support or at least make them sympathetic to our cause, it will be a very valuable asset.

(C) Contact media
Most of the people in the Western countries know very little about the tragedy of the Chinese Indonesians. We need the media to spread the news around. A special report in a newspaper/magazine/TV about Indonesian Chinese will have a strong impact on the public. We need to create public awareness and to gain public support. Remember; always make friends with the media.

(D) Fund Raising.
(E) Help victims from the riots by donating or lobbying western countries to give them special immigration status.
(F) Help oversea Chinese Indonesian’s to obtain special visa or working permit due to current turmoil.
(G) Build a close relationship with other human rights groups, church groups..etc.
(H) Gain support from other overseas Chinese organizations.
(I) Photo exhibition (riots and rapes against ethnic Chinese)
(J) Appeal to United Nations Human Rights Commission.
(K) Work with non-racist Indonesian groups (both inside & outside Indonesia) to promote racial harmony.

(3) Create Global Alliance
After local organizations are established, we should try to create a global alliance. Only through a single united voice can we hope to be strong enough to tackle with the Indonesian Government. There are so many talents in the Chinese Indonesian community. We hope a strong leader will emerge to lead the global alliance in the near future.

(4) Set May 13 as the Chinese Indonesian Day of Adversity
Every movement needs a symbolic event to create public awareness and to ensure the continued work of the movement. Every day each year, all ARI groups shall hold a memorial ceremony seminar, or photo exhibition to educate and remind people of this tragedy. All Indonesian Chinese should wear a small yellow ribbon, similar to the red poppy worn by Canadian Veterans during Memorial Day in Canada.

Iwan in Vancouver and John in San Francisco did a great job in forming an organized group within a short period of time. If you have any question regarding how to organize a group in your city, ask them. Although they are overloaded with projects, I am sure they are happy to share their experience with you.

CONCLUSION
We hope you understand that the political situation in Indonesia has entered a new era. Two years ago, could you imagine Suharto stepping down? Could you imagine East Timor students staging mass protests for independence in Jakarta with no one being arrested? What it tells us is that the world has changed! Many things can happen today as they didn’t in the past. You need a new viewpoint and a new attitude to accommodate yourself in this new era. The old concept such as tolerance, silence & selfish are no longer applicable. You have to come forward, speak out, uniting in a single strong voice. Your solidity and strength will protect you!

Well, the road to prosperity is long and difficult. If you decide to go for it, then keep going and never give up. You will get there eventually. However, if you give up, you will never get there. Good luck!

Paul & Keong
Calgary, Canada