The National Status of the Chinese in Indonesia 1900-1958 by Donald E. Willmott

Author:Donald E. Willmott
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Equinox Publishing
Published: 2009-07-13T16:00:00+00:00

The Position Of Foreign Chinese In Indonesia

In a series of clauses based on the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 1950 Provisional Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia guaranteed to all persons living in Indonesia, including foreigners, a wide measure of rights and freedoms. Article 8, for instance, provided that “all persons within the territory of the State are entitled to equal protection of person and property,” and other provisions guaranteed fundamental legal rights, freedom of movement and residence, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to join trade unions and to strike, and equal protection against any discrimination. Article 33 allowed limitation of these rights only by laws “exclusively for the purpose of securing the indispensable recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and to comply with the just requirements of public order, morality, and welfare in a democratic community.”

The activities of alien Chinese were subject to very little supervision or control before 1954. As the internal situation worsened, government and public suspicion and distrust of the Chinese deepened. Control measures were instituted as fast as they could be enforced, or perhaps faster. There were both political and economic reasons; for this. Pro-Peking Chinese were distrusted by government and army officials who disliked the Communist ideas and loyalties which were being spread by the political activists among them. On the other hand, pro-Kuomintang Chinese were accused of activities detrimental to the state. And when the press began to report that the Sumatra rebels were obtaining aid from Taiwan, there was a great popular outcry. Many organizations passed resolutions urging the Government to take more and more drastic measures against the local pro-Kuomintang Chinese. In addition, there had always been a widespread desire to curb the economic strength of the Chinese, especially of the alien Chinese.

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