A

ug. 29, p. 6

Early last month, the Indonesian government held its first ever congress of Indonesian diaspora in Los Angeles. With the rising importance of Indonesia in international relations, engaging its citizens overseas is one logical way to increase the country’s soft power and culture abroad.

The 2010 census revealed there were about 63,000 Indonesians registered in the United States, making them the 15th largest Asian minority after the Myanmarese.

Human rights, however, may foil Indonesia’s bid to achieve the goal of increasing power and culture abroad, as it has been experiencing a brain drain during its modern history due to persecutions which mostly remain unresolved.

In 1945, the Dutch Indonesians became the target of persecution during the Bersiap anti-Dutch movement, triggering flight from the capital of the new republic to the Netherlands, which only ceased in 1963. Due to various issues, such as an inability to adapt to the climate, as well as economic problem in the Netherlands, many then opted to migrate to the United States. (By Calvin Sidjaya, Jakarta)

Your comments:

Sadly enough, I rarely hear Indonesian leaders citing Pancasila as the basis for their actions. More often, their personal religious beliefs are quoted.

Indonesia is and will remain a religious country. However, the basis on which the country was founded dictates that no single religion will rule the country.

Decisions are to be guided by collective moral/religious/socio-tolerance principles, but are by no means a result of any religious decree.

On race and ethnicity, Indonesia is very well versed in collective memory loss.

Christine Pan

Discriminative action by governments, whether sanctioned or not, happen the world over, including in countries with long democratic traditions.

If someone out there is able to pinpoint one country absolutely free from these regrettable incidences, please let me know — for I wish to migrate to that paradise-like country.

What we need to do is to resolve the issues in accordance with the prevailing regulations, a domain none of us is authorized to toy around with.

Jenny Rowling

Miss Rowling, the writer is talking about discrimination in Indonesia, not in the United States.

Offering the excuse that discrimination even happens in the US is not good enough.

We’re concerned about minority rights in Indonesia and how it should be addressed, so please stick to the topic.

I’m quite bemused by some of the posts here, without a doubt from Indonesians with conservative views who mask their identity with fake Western names. At least Calvin and I are proud of where we come from.

Mario Rustan

Mr. Rustan, I think in this world of freedom, everyone is entitled to speak and express his/her opinion on any issue considered to be of common concern.

I agree with Miss Rowling’s key message: Solve the issue according to the law of the land. It cannot be otherwise.

Marcus Dovry