Indonesian Citizenship Certificate (SKBRI) is Still Applied in Regions
Yogya (KU) – Indonesian Citizenship Certificate (SKBRI) is the identity card for Indonesian citizens of foreign descent. One of those is Chinese descent. Although the Certificate has been revoked since the reform, in practice it is still applied in many regions.
That was revealed in Seminar of History entitled Chinese Ethnic Group in Indonesian History that was held in Auditorium of Faculty of Cultural Sciences UGM, Friday (30/4). The history of citizenship policy implemented since the Dutch colonial government until Independence era for minor Chinese descent became the subject of discussion. A student of S2 History Department UGM, Faizatush Sholikhah, said that various Indonesian citizenship policies basically are repetition of colonial rules and are similar in substance. In the colonial era, passenstelsel was applied to identify citizens. This was repeated in the policy obliging citizens to have certificate such as STKI, which was later revoked. The Indonesian Citizenship Certificate (SKBRI) actually repeated this pattern, said Sholikhah, the resource person in the seminar.
In her opinion, the policy also contributed in forming minority groups. Meanwhile, Didi Kwartanada, Chair of National Building (Nabil) Foundation, said that the Chinese in the Colonial era until now has been positioned as minority mediator with good economic condition but who are politically weak. In his opinion, this position as mediator is wanted by the ruler as the one to blame during riots that oppose the ruler or when there is no government in power.
Faizatush Sholikhah Ensuring Access 