SBY vows to protect rights of Chinese Indonesians

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 02/20/2010 9:45 PM

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono promised Saturday to further protect the civil rights of Chinese Indonesians, particularly followers of Confucianism.

The pledge marked the President’s address to thousands of Chinese Indonesians attending the commemoration of the Chinese New Year at the Jakarta Convention Center in Central Jakarta.

“In the future I will ask the minister of religious affairs, the minister of justice and human rights, the minister of education and other officials in the central and regional governments to improve protection of the civil rights of Confucianism followers and Chinese descents,” Yudhoyono said.

The President said the government had enacted regulations that protect the rights of Chinese Indonesians, including the 2006 law on citizenship which revokes differentiation between indigenous and non-indigenous.

“I am happy to see significant progress in the government’s efforts to fulfill the rights of Confucianism followers,” he said.

Yudhoyono called on Chinese Indonesian community to take the momentum of Chinese New Year to promote harmony in diversity.