In this final critical paper I want to discuss about racism among Indonesia. Indonesian nation today has more than 200 million population comprising more than 200 ethnic groups. In each section of ethnic group they have various culture. But behind that incredible diversity still Indonesia can’t be separated from the problem of “Racism”. What is the meaning of racism? In Leone’s classic definition, “Racism is the belief in the inherent superiority of a particular race. It denies the basic equality of humankind and correlates ability with physical composition. Thus, it assumes that success or failure in any societal endeavor will depend upon genetic endowment rather than environment and access to opportunity.” …show more content…
I never know about this racial issue until one day I realized its still the biggest problem in this globalization era that will not be finished. I was born in 1996 but I still remember dark Indonesia’s history ever in 1998 when Chinese ethnic got massacre in Jakarta. At that time I live in “ Mangga Besar” it’s a street name in Jakarta, live in non-Chinese area and that area is full of indigenous people. At that time when the murdered happened I was there hiding in my grandma’s house with a lot of fearfully. You can say that I’m still a child, how could you remember at that time? Not because I’m just a kid that time that I don’t remember this wicked period of Indonesia. Actually the genocide was in “Glodok” which is the Chinatown in Jakarta where most of the Chinese people gathered there lived together and most of them are merchant and the sell so many electronic things (even until now the activity of the area still functionally well) and at that time I still remember how people throw the stone to every house and looted all of the stuff that they think it’s expensive and use full. I saw in front of my face where one people’s were nearly die, full of blood from his head and one of my uncle had blade scar in his …show more content…
“Racism is destructive. It disempowers people by devaluing their identity. It destroys community cohesion and creates divisions in society. It is the opposite of the democratic principle of equality and the right of all people to be treated fairly.” (Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Fourth Report, 1996). But that tragedy was happened long ago and now it’s a big duty for all of the member of Indonesian people to forget about that wicked moment and walk straight forward for better future.
I already buried that moment and think about the new beginning but what did I experience is the level of racism in Indonesia is still high. However when I entered junior high school the racial problem still exist. It was a catholic school and most of the students are indigenous people. Actually it was my first time to enter the diversity environment in which before that I studied in Christian school that most of my friend was Chinese and it’s feel so