Anti-Chinese Violence
Feb 6th, 2007, in News, by PatungAnti-Chinese feeling in Indonesia, 1996-1999.
Jemma Purdey, in Anti-Chinese Violence in Indonesia, 1996-1999, suggests that the anti-Chinese violence which periodically occurred prior to May 1998 had its origins in the policy of the Suharto government of marginalising the ethnic Chinese population, restricting them to certain, mainly business, roles, and portraying them as uncaring and corrupt.
Frustrated and poor “native” Indonesians who might be expected to take out their anger on government officials instead were diverted by the government into venting those frustrations on the Chinese. So, for the Suharto regime, the Chinese were a convenient scapegoat, and a provided an important safety valve for the expression of the people’s passions, and allowed mob violence to be directed at targets other than the regime. Normally violence against Chinese was directed largely against their property, rather than their persons. (see Pogroms in East Java 1965-66 for a couple of examples.)
Anti-Chinese Violence in Indonesia, 1996-1999.
The riots which occurred in Jakarta in May of 1998 however were of a different nature, says Purdey. They seemed to have been organised, with military-like precision, rather than spontaneous displays of rebellion, and involved the use of rape against Chinese women, although the numbers of victims is disputed.
Purdey points out however that it is only a minority of the indigenous population which is given to participating in mob violence against ethnic Chinese. eurekastreet
288 Comments on “Anti-Chinese Violence”
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dragonwall says:
I suppose you are right about this person. My observation he possess the ego that he wants to consider himself untouchable.
He could also possibly be a descendant of the Brit himself and he surely is exceptional. A one of a kind racist know all no others does relentlessly, and much gullible as I might want to see him as, portaying himself as a Nationalist defending with his emotions and the anger he so acquire through the detestation he had of the Indonesian Chinese. (I suppose so, because he has Shanghainese Friends)
As for AAB he is always of putdowns and insults.
Many have seen mine to comprise of aggression, but I like to clarify one point. I will go into the topic with a person when he meant something that contains no truth and such people needs to be ticked, not that I really care, but it just gives me the zest to see him eat his own words sort of thing.
I don’t mind being a fish, a piranha perhaps or a porcupine.
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dajdoo says:
I have view some pictures of this violence before. Actually many Chinese was killed, no matter women, children. I can’t believe it is really happened. The government in indonesia is totally out of control. Their people have no sense of humanity. I am not expect a country can developed in this kind of condition.
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Jason says:
What will you do if your house is on fire, i mean huge fire?
You have 3 options:
1. Immediately looking for the nearest exit and run for your life?
2. Sitting inside and shout for help?
3. Go to the bathroom and try to put off the fire?Well, I’ve chosen the 1st option. There is no point complaining, do something about it. Get out from there. I did not feel remorseful when I surrendered my Indonesian passport to the embassy here. I did not need a second thought for making that decision to be honest. My current country has treated me far better than Indonesia did. My life here may not be better compare to the one in Indo…I do not drive, living in a decent house, do not have a maid, do not have any business but most importantly I feel secure and safe…what’s the point of having those materials when you and your family have to constantly live in fear? Think and do something about it instead of idling and complaining here.
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Ihaknt – We need more people like you in Indonesia. Salute you on your unbiasness comment! Bravo mate!
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sgn Says:
February 10th, 2007 at 11:34 am
China (PRC) is getting strong.
They didn’t bother to Chinese overseas earlier, but time is change. I believe our goverment is now ‘underpressure’ by them to be nicer to Chinese-Indonesian.sgn – don’t be so naive.
We are living in the 21st century…”racism” shouldn’t be exist at all! delete it from our vocabulary.I believe our goverment is now ‘underpressure’ by them to be nicer to Chinese-Indonesian. <— whats the point? The govt should treat all their people equally regardless of races, religion, status and without any external or internal pressure.
I have quite a number of malay friends though, both muslims n christians. you do not throw away full basket of 12 eggs just because you found 2 rotten eggs in it…
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Jurac.Jackson says:
Indonesian has never self-examination, only to find a cause in the others! Frequent cases of rape, is not it? We very much dislike the British act you!
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Fenristheman says:
[http://www.cclv.cn/Exhibit/class.asp?ClassID=72]
Some disturbing pictures of the Jakarta riots
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ashkyou says:
that so ironic how people wasting their time talking about despise to other, one thing that important is we are the same human who lives in one earth, taking breath of same oxygen, same anatomy and physiology mechanisme, so everybody have the same equal to get rights in their live… I totally disagree about the violence that has happened in 1998, many people killed, burned and raped… you can’t choose which etnic you prefer to born. I can’t imagine if one of my family become the victim of that violence, how cruel and horrible thing in the history of Indonesia, that the government just let it happened and the murderers haven’t solved until now, they are just free out there, haven’t touched by law and justice whereas the innocent people being killed, some get injured and lame, many raped woman become crazy, and many people losing their home and material. So pathetic thing that many people has lost their humanity and love for what sake!!! nothing worth than just release their furious of the corruption government and their envy of the economic gap to the defenseless minority. mostly the children and woman who havent enough struggle fought by big and weapon man… only idiot people destroying their own country to fullfill their satisfy, and only the blind and heartless people who just watching, making fun of the tragedy and actually can help to stop it, but they didnt do that…
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TJ says:
Aluang Anak Bayang: Life is about diversity. Look around you. No two trees the same. No two personalities the same, no two grains of sand the same. Open up. Your kind of attitude breeds intolerance.. and this mindset is just a breath away from justification for violence. Don’t contribute to violence on any level. Especially in the name of hemogeny (… or its father, fascism).
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samuel welsh says:
I am against racism but chinese business is
an evil sport of benifit and abuse. -
Stevo says:
Is that the justification for this?:
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Odinius says:
There’s never any excuse for violence against someone because of their “race,” religion, nationality, ethnicity, etc.
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Picky perhaps but a number of those pictures had nothing to do with the anti Chinese riots, some are from the kalimantan slaughter a decade or so back and a number are the fine noble work of the protectors in East Timor. You remember that one Stevo, the one that saved us from the communist hordes and was a fair price to pay unless of course you happened to be the girl on concrete floor.
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Yes I suspected as much Oigal. But I think it makes the point. Regardless of who the victims are, it is just plain wrong.
Broadly speaking, it appears the Chinese were targeted for being communist in the 60’s and then for being capitalist in the 90’s. I suspect the truth is that political/religious figures have used the Chinese as a target, to distract from their own shortcomings. There is nothing new in that idea. As one Chinese Indonesian said, “we are the Jews of the east”.
I have never condoned the sort of thing depicted in those disgusting images. I have Chinese Indonesian friends and find it deeply upsetting to even think about. It takes a deliberate effort for me not to lose-the-plot and get intemperate. So don’t suggest I condone that sort of thing, it does not fit with my thinking at all.
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Indeed Stevo, I agree just thought it was worth pointing out in this case that the “amok” is not, was not an isolated time or incident.
I had no intention of suggesting you condone that sort of thing and if anything it was to clarify why I get ansty when some suggest the periods of amok whipped up against the so called communists was purely a numbers game and therefore some how ok.
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It’s actually a myth that Chinese were targeted in large numbers during the 1960s., aside from special cases like West Kalimantan. The vast majority of victims were Javanese and Balinese peasants.
What happened to ethnic Chinese in the 1990s was horrific, though.
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Pinky says:
now the tension is rising again. what should we do. I wish not gonna happen again this time. please help!!
Comment on “Anti-Chinese Violence”.
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LOL.
Where is the post where she was interested in Rob’s weight. Maybe she was suggesting Rob should check into a Jenny Craig clinic for not siding with her. A couple of times she was interested with my mole. Probably her daughter’s ex boyfriend looked like me. Draganball’s attitude was the reason there was anti-chinese violence. The Chinese are clannish. Despite his anti-pris swearings, he had DXP, Sylvester and other Chinese to cheer him on.