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Lunar blessings for Jakarta’s poor

Despite deep-seated mistrust of ethnic Chinese people, there are elements of society who see them as saviors
Lunar blessings for Jakarta’s poor

Many beggars flock to Dharma Bhakti Temple in Jakarta at Chinese New Year hoping to receive a windfall. (ucanews.com photo)

Published: January 27, 2017 08:58 AM GMT
Updated: January 27, 2017 10:04 AM GMT

For many of Jakarta's marginalized, Lunar New Year provides an opportunity for them to receive a larger income and get some more food.

Siti Aulia, is a 61-year-old divorcee and spends her days sitting in the yard of Dharma Bhakti Temple in North Jakarta, hoping to pocket some spare change from visitors.

Most days, she makes less than a dollar, but during the peak days of Lunar New Year she can make more than US$7 per day.

"The lunar festival always brings us blessings," said Aulia, who comes from Indonesia’s second largest ethnic group — the Sundanese.

Tatang, a vendor, says he only earns about US$15 a day selling food, drinks and cigarettes near the Buddhist temple. But during Lunar New Year, he says he earns much more.

Part of the money he keeps for himself and the rest is sent to his wife and two children who live in Tasikmalaya, West Java.

The same goes for Sugi who hails from Tegal in Central Java. He used to sell children's toys around the city, but took up begging near the temple after he got sick.

"We are a few among millions of other poor people in Jakarta and across Indonesia," said Sugi.

The number of people classified as poor across Indonesia last year was about 27.7 million, according to the Central Statistic Bureau.

Aulia, Sugi, and Tatang know their existence could be a lot worse if it were not for the generosity of Chinese-Indonesians who visit or pray at the temple.

They say deep-seated anti-Chinese sentiment, in Indonesia, which manifested itself last year, hurt them as well.

Chinese businesses were targeted last year during mass protests in Jakarta against the city’s Christian and ethnic-Chinese governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, commonly known as Ahok.

In 1998, deadly riots broke out across Indonesia in which it was mainly the ethnic Chinese who were targeted.

"We survive because of the help we get from Chinese people, who allow us to remain here around the temple," said Aulia.

"Those who are against them have no common sense," said Sugi.

A temple guard says about 100 beggars congregate around the temple most days. This number jumps to about 800 during the Lunar New Year season.

Many also flock to the nearby St. Mary of Fatima Church, to beg from Chinese Catholics praying at the church.

 

Continues fight against discrimination

Uung Sendana, chairman of the Confucian Supreme Council of Indonesia says poverty is the main social ill in Indonesia so he encourages people to celebrate Lunar New Year simply, and try to help people in need.

"The Lunar New Year is a moment for us to be introspective and show hospitality to neighbors," he told ucanews.com.

Chinese Indonesians should not be afraid of celebrating Chinese traditions, according to Sendana.

He said many Confucian followers still face discrimination in some regions, such as when they apply for citizen identification cards.

Some administration officials refuse to recognize Confucianism as a religion, even though it one of the six official religions in Indonesia.

"Be not afraid [to fight discrimination], and let's continue to foster harmony with people around us," he said.

Discrimination against Chinese-Indonesians is still influenced by the "New Order" regime under Suharto who, soon after taking power from Sukarno, restricted the movement of Chinese people following the 1965 massacres of at least 500,000 people, mainly communists and ethnic Chinese.

The massacres were in response to the murders of six army generals, blamed on the Indonesian Communist Party. The ethnic Chinese were targeted because they were accused of supporting the communist party because President Sukarno was an ally of communist Beijing.  

Restrictions lasted for more than thirty years (1967-1999). During this period, Confucianism was prohibited. Consequently, many Chinese Indonesians chose to convert to Protestantism, Catholicism, Buddhism and even Islam.

 

Recognition

Recognition of ethnic Chinese in Indonesia began in 2000 when President Abdurrahman Wahid, lifted the restrictions and allowed Chinese people to celebrate Lunar New Year publicly.

Two years later, his successor Megawati Soekarnoputri, made Lunar New Year a public holiday.

Sendana said people of Chinese descent are grateful to the Indonesian government for acknowledging them and allowing Chinese traditions to be celebrated openly.

Aulia, Tatang and Sugi are grateful too and hope the dark days of discrimination against ethnic Chinese do not return.

Unlike other members of Indonesian society, they give us life, they said.

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