UNAIR NEWS – Indonesia as a pluralistic nation is indeed vulnerable to the threat of disintegration. Diverse tribes, religions, races and cultures may confront each other, when one claims to be superior to the other.
Chinese New Year inspired Strategic Studies Ministry of Faculty of Humanities (FIB) BEM in holding discussions on ethnicity, religion, race and culture (SARA). The theme raised was Javanese Indigenous Contradiction with Chinese Ethnics on Monday, March 26, 2019, in Chairil Anwar FIB Room.
There were Shinta Devi Rahayu, SS, M. Hum, a history lecturer at FIB, Nadia Santosa, Javanese-Chinese descent FIB student. Shinta explained many factors that caused Chinese people’s present unaccepted by Indonesian people. One of the reasons is the wrong view to outsiders who come and then live in Indonesia.
“We always look at Chinese people as guests. Even though they have become Indonesian citizens. When they are already Indonesian citizens, we should consider them as brothers living in one house, no longer as guests and no natives and non-natives, ” she said.
Furthermore, Shinta explained the way to eliminate the negative stigma towards immigrants is to create inclusive schools. According to him, the school is intended for all groups. For example, for Indonesian, Chinese, and children from different religious backgrounds.
Aden Rafi Ali, Minister of Strategic Studies BEM FIB said that the purpose of the discussion was to build a culture of critical thinking among FIB students. FIB students must be sensitive to the social conditions and the surrounding environment.
“So far, those who are often considered critical are FISIP students and Faculty of Law (FH) students. Therefore, BEM FIB also wants to show that FIB students are critical students, “he added. (*)
Author: Ransis Putra Gaut
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
