1.
GV PAN: Jarkata main thoroughfare. (3 shots central city)
0.10

2.
GV: scenes in Chinatown - (shots of Chinese and Indonesian business) (5 shots)
0.22

3.
SV: shoppers in Chinatown (2 shots)
0.35

4.
SV: goods being sold in market place at Chinese stalls - (3 shots)
0.46

5.
GV: another part of Chinatown-more shop signs.
0.54

6.
GV: Chinese owned motorbike shop (3 shots)
1.05

7.
SV: Chinese looks at goods in shops. (2 shots)
1.14

8.
SV: goods on display out side shop. (2 shots)
1.17

9.
SCU: Chinese market trader.
1.20

10.
SV: shoppers.
1.23

11.
GV: traffic on road in shopping centre.
1.28


There are an estimated 22.5 million Chinese living away from China or the Kuomintang regime of General Chiang Kai Shek. In Indonesia there are approximately three million, one million of them of either Chinese nationality (suspended in the wake of the 1965 coup attempt) or of a "stateless"s status. Many Chinese were said to tacitly support Dr Sukarno's pro-Peking stance in pre-1965 days-and it is alleged that 100,000 Communists and Chinese were killed in the weeks that followed leading up to the establishment of the Suharto regime. In Indonesia, a commonly applied and derogatory term used to describe Chinese is 'Orang Cina' (Chinaman).




Initials RH/2325



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: For generations, millions of Chinese have called the beautiful pattern of islands that make up the Republic of Indonesia their home. When the islands were under colonial rule they were encouraged to settle and many came fleeing the upheavels in China as the present-day Communist state was established. Many thrived and when Indonesia became independent, its Chinese citizens and many who had retained Chinese nationality controlled much of its industry, trade and commerce. But now life for Chinese who live in Indonesia presents a gloomier prospect. Since the abortive Communist Coup of 1965 which led to the down fall of the Republic's first ruler President Sukarno, and the establishment of military government under General Suharto, the undercurrent of anti-Chinese feeling that had long existed has surfaced into everyday life. An estimated three million Chinese live in Indonesia. Two million of them have become citizens, but the others face an increasing erosion of hopes, rights and comforts as they continue in a limbo of statelessness. From January 1, more measures are being taken against these stateless Chinese. They will lose the right to run shop anywhere is the republic.

SYNOPSIS: In the Indonesian capital Jakarta, many Chinese still enjoy prosperity-but the price they must pay is high. For such is the anti-Chinese feeling throughout the country that to live comfortably and to remain unharrassed, the Chinese must become as assimilated into Indonesian life as possible.

For many the price of prosperity is to lose their identities. Many Chinese traders now operate behind adopted Indonesian names. Though more than a decade ago, the cruel retribution that followed the attempted communist coup of 1965 lives on in the memories of the Chinese of Indonesia. It was alleged many thousands were massacred in the anti-communist backlash that ensued.

In the 12 years of military rule since then many thousands of people have been held in political detention, many of them Chinese. In late December, the Government freed 10,000 of these prisoners, but a further 20,000 remain in camps.

It was suggested many businessmen had helped finance the attempted coup. Since then, the Chinese have led a cautions existence.

Chinese business acumen still plays a significant if guarded part in the business life of President Suharto's state, but the new legislation will make economic existence impossible for those without Indonesian nationality.