International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) |Volume VI, Issue X, October 2022|ISSN 2454-6186
The Phenomenon of Strong Rootted Negative Sentiments Against Chinese Ethnics in Indonesia
Yuswari O. Djemat1, Prasetia Anugrah Pratama2
1International Relations Department, Universitas Jenderal Achmad Yani, Cimahi, Indonesia.
2Public Graduate School of Diplomacy, Universitas Paramadina, South Jakarta, Indonesia.
Abstract: Despite the fact that ethnic Chinese have lived in Indonesia for a very long period, particularly from the time of Dutch colonialism there, they have continued to experience discrimination and bad attitudes in their daily lives. This study aims to describe the phenomenon of prejudice against people of Chinese ancestry in Indonesia, explain the traits of Indonesians that contribute to prejudice against people of Chinese ancestry, and identify the social and political effects of the strong prejudice against people of Chinese ancestry that exists in Indonesia. The findings of this study, which used a constructivist methodology from international relations and qualitative research techniques, suggest that the failure of Indonesians to forge a strong collective identity is what leads to the escalation of prejudice against ethnic Chinese in that country. The outcome also demonstrates that the gradual treatment of Chinese ethnic minorities as equals after Indonesian independence highlights the urgent necessity for the government to act as an agent capable of altering social structures and fostering a sense of unity.
Key Words: Ethnicity, Discrimination, Indonesia, Chinese, Constructivism.
I. INTRODUCTION
The lengthy history of progress and global trade has made it possible for Chinese people (ethnicity) to travel to Indonesia, which was formerly known as Nusantara. According to government records, the earliest Chinese settlers in the archipelago arrived about the seventh century BC, or more specifically, during the Tang Dynasty (Putri, 2018). However, there are estimations that ethnic Chinese arrived in Indonesia as early as the Han Dynasty or even earlier, between 206 and 220 BC, when it was recognized that a trading route had opened from China to Southeast Asia and Java (Gunawan, 2020). These documents suggest that the Chinese have long interacted with other ethnic groups and have even assimilated into Indonesian society.
Despite this, since the time of Dutch colonialism in Indonesia, people of Chinese descent have faced prejudice and hostility in all aspects of daily life, including the legal system. It should be mentioned that the Netherlands enforced regulations restricting movement for ethnic Chinese during the Dutch colonial period in Indonesia, one of which was represented by the Wijkenstelsel rule, which excluded ethnic Chinese in terms of settlement or choice of place of abode (Lohanda, 2005). Additionally, the Dutch colonial authority put into effect the passenstelsel law, which controls explicitly the requirement for ethnic Chinese people to have a travel