Indonesia is infamous for the many atrocities and human rights abuses committed by its military and police, particularly in conflict areas such as Papua, Aceh and East Timor. There have been many activists, NGOs and reports that have brought these abuses to light and by and large the world is aware of what has gone on; and what still goes on.
Unfortunately while many wrongdoings receive attention from human rights defenders, there are still many issues in Indonesia that do not. The plight of people with mental illness is one such concern. Hundreds of thousands of Indonesians with mental illness receive no treatment and are usually kept in conditions worse than animals.
For a country with an ever-increasing number of 'super rich' entrepreneurs and billionaire politicians, it is a sorry state that the people who need help most are sidelined as the gap widens between rich and poor.
Check out this report by The Age on the treatment of Indonesia's mentally ill:
LOST LIVES
Indonesia has ratified the United Nations' Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. This could be a contravention of Indonesia's obligations under this treaty.
Monday, 24 October 2011
Friday, 21 October 2011
Indonesia and Malaysia: two bickering siblings
Unless they're familiar with the culture and languages of both countries, many in the west do not immediately realise the striking similarities between Indonesia and Malaysia. This may be because many Malaysians who emigrate to western countries are actually non-native ethnic Chinese and westerners automatically link them to East Asian and Indochinese countries.
In reality, although colonised by different European powers and with differing political journeys, the two countries share amazing similarities in language, culture, geography, ethnicity and religion. They also have a shared history. Years before the existence of either country, the Malay archipelago was just that - the Malay archipelago. Over a couple of thousand years, different kingdoms came and went, Hinduism came and went, Buddhism came and went and finally Islam came and stayed. Culture mixed and mingled, people moved and brought their culture with them. Then came Christianity with the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British together with colonisation, increased trade to Europe, exploitation but also development. Apart from some territorial exchanges in 1824, the British and Dutch pretty much divided the archipelago into modern day Indonesia and Malaysia. Of course the Portuguese lost most of their gains but managed to hold onto East Timor. By the way, when I say 'archipelago' I include Malaya, the peninsular that juts out of continental Asia.
The British and Dutch territories gained independence at different times and over approximately 20 years (mid-40s to mid-60s) organised themselves into the present day countries of the region: Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and East Timor. Of course some of these alliances came about by force – the newly-formed Indonesia became a coloniser in its own right and invaded the Moluccas and West Papua (and eventually East Timor in 1975), swallowing up the countries around it. It even unsuccessfully tried to oppose the formation of Malaysia.
Skip ahead to today. Leaving aside Singapore which is a bit of a regional anomaly, the ethnic and cultural spread across the Malay Archipelago is only separated by political boundaries. Let’s look at some of the similarities between Indonesia and Malaysia.
1. They have the same national language. Bahasa Indonesia and Bahasa Malaysia are two different dialects of the same language: Malay, but have different names for obvious political reasons, the latter also commonly known simply as ‘Malay’. Apart from being influenced by their respective colonial masters, standardised differently and spoken with different accents, they are mutually intelligible. I know this because I have lived in both countries and speak both dialects fluently.
2. Both countries have similar ethnicities. The native people who live in the region are mostly of Austronesian stock (the notable exception being the Melanesian Papuans and other Melanesians of Nusa Tenggara). Indonesia alone has over 100 different ethnicities and languages. Malaysia has around 50. Many of these ethnic groups are found in both countries, in particular the Malays who make up the majority of Malaysia but also exist in large numbers in Indonesia.
3. Both countries have similar cultural practices. Owing to the history of the region and the ethnic makeup of both countries, this is obvious. The same customs, tools, music and cultural practices can be found in both countries.
Then why is there constantly tension between the two countries? Why have there been demonstrations in the streets of Indonesian cities to “kill Malaysia”? Why all the recent fuss over Malaysians allegedly ‘stealing’ Indonesian culture? It has become almost taboo in Indonesia to show any sort of support for Malaysia in anything.
It is quite obvious to anyone who has visited both countries that Malaysia is far more developed than Indonesia. Not only are Malaysians richer but they have enjoyed a relatively stable political climate for the last 50 odd years. Thanks to the British, Malaysians have excellent English whereas Dutch is hardly spoken in Indonesia today. Almost half of Indonesia’s banks are Malaysian owned. Bear in mind Malaysia has a population of approximately 28 million and Indonesia has a population of 240 million. Approximately 2 million Indonesians live and work in Malaysia. That is a staggering number. Why? Because menial jobs there pay a lot more.
During the Mahathir and Suharto eras, relations between Indonesia and Malaysia flourished. Now that those two despots are gone, the last decade or so has seen tensions flare – especially on the Indonesian side. Interestingly, Malaysians have remained much calmer. Generally if you ask a Malaysian on the street, they will bear no ill will towards Indonesia and are blissfully unaware of Indonesia’s hatred. Governments of the two countries have also managed to keep things civil given there is so much interdependence and cooperation but this hasn't really filtered down to the masses in Indonesia.
The average Indonesian will say that Malaysia claims Indonesian culture as its own and that Malaysia mistreats Indonesian workers. They will also claim that Malaysia has 'stolen' Indonesian islands and unlawfully detained Indonesian fishermen. In reality none of these claims are true and have merely been fanned by the Indonesian media.
Batik, wayang kulit, the keris and the 'Rasa Sayang' song. These are the contentious cultural icons allegedly 'stolen' from Indonesia. Somehow, for the last thousand years or so this has never been a problem. But suddenly in the last 5 years, Malays in Malaysia cannot claim these as part of their cultural heritage. Nevermind that Malaysia and Indonesia are made up political boundaries and that these traditions existed way before the countries did. Nevermind that culture is fluid and forever being influenced by other cultures. I personally find it laughable that some people in Indonesia even attempt to defend this stance. Yes, most batik is made in Java and it may have originated in Java a few thousand years ago. Yes, wayang kulit is in the same boat. But any serious cultural historian knows that different forms of batik exist in many countries - even China. Malaysian batik is quite different to Indonesian batik and has been around for hundreds of years. Malay wayang kulit probably originated from Thailand - but you don't see the Thais jumping up and down about it. Now for Javanese to claim that the keris is only part of their culture is ridiculous. That sword has been used by people from the whole archipelago for over a millennium and is so entwined with Malay culture that some Malays even raise it in meetings to 'defend the Malay race'. If Indonesians want to think this way they'd better stop promoting the Borobudur and Prambanan temples because they're actually cultural icons if India, merely 'borrowed' by the Javanese. They'd also better stop wearing the Jilbab (veil) because it's a cultural icon of the Middle East.
Although territorial disputes have made stirred emotions, in reality they have been fairly tame. There hasn't been any real military confrontation (since the 1960s at least) and they have only been maritime disputes. The most famous dispute was that over Sipadan and Ligitan islands which was brought to the International Court of Justice for determination. Predictably, given Malaysia (Sabah) had been utilising these islands for centuries, the ICJ's ruled in Malaysia's favour. Another dispute is the Ambalat dispute which concerns part of the seabed in the Celebes sea. Negotiations are still ongoing however there has considerable tension over the dispute. One of the incidents to receive massive media attention in Indonesia was the 2010 arrest of 3 Indonesian maritime officers off Tanjung Berakit for encroaching into Malaysian waters and boarding Malaysian fishing vessels. Although all detainees were released, a wave of anti-Malaysian sentiment swept Indonesia. Both countries agree that the border here has not been determined.
Another sore point that Indonesians tend to have with Malaysia is the perceived mistreatment of Indonesian migrant domestic workers by their Malaysian employers. It is true that there is a severe lack of rights accorded to domestic workers in Malaysia. There have even been laws enacted enabling employers to confiscate their maids' passports. There have been cases of sexual violence against domestic workers, torture and even murders. As this is blown up in the Indonesian media, this only serves to stoke the fire of Malaysian hatred.
But let's put this in perspective. Although Malaysia is by far the number one destination for Indonesian migrant workers, proportionately Saudi Arabia has the highest number of reported cases of abuse on Indonesian maids. The things these poor workers endure in Saudi Arabia is unbelievable: apparently 1 in 2 domestic workers in Saudi Arabia are abused. The recent cases of Ruyati and Sumiati have shocked and angered Indonesians but no hatred is directed towards the Middle East. And while Indonesians complain about the treatment of their maids abroad, almost no attention is directed at the plight of maids within their own country. There are absolutely no laws for their protection or rights and they are almost all paid well below minimum wage. There are far more cases of sexual violence and torture of domestic workers within Indonesia than in Malaysia. Even the Indonesian government's measures to protect its workers abroad has been lacklustre. Despite public commitment, Indonesia has failed to ratify the 1990 United Nations Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. Even other major countries of origin for migrant workers (such as Mexico and the Philippines) have done so. The lack of regulation and prolific exploitation of migrant workers by both agencies and government officials alike means the Indonesian government is as much to blame as any recipient country for these human rights abuses. To be fair, Malaysia has actually prosecuted crimes committed against domestic workers more than any other major recipient country in the region, including Indonesia. Malaysians have even been sentenced to death for the murder of Indonesian maids.
Having said this though, in my view Malaysians still need to change the way their domestic workers are treated. There is prevailing sentiment within Malaysia that domestic workers from Indonesia and the Philippines are lowly, uneducated, lazy workers who cannot be trusted. The stereotype is that they will steal from and rip off their employer, as soon as they are left alone. They are viewed as a cheap source of labour and their rights as workers are often forgotten. The Malaysian government needs to work on eradicating these notions and promoting the rights of domestic workers. Even so, this hasn’t stopped Indonesians from coming to Malaysia – both legally and illegally. Working conditions in Malaysia still beat those at home.
So you see, it all comes down to sibling rivalry. There really is no reason that these countries can’t work out their differences. In my view Indonesia for the most part needs to come to grips with reality and stop fanning the flame of hatred. Cultural icons are shared, political boundaries mean nothing when it comes to ancient traditions. Unresolved border disputes need to be worked out but you don’t see “Kill Indonesia” rallies in Malaysia. Yes many Indonesian migrant workers are finding life tough in Malaysia but Indonesia needs to fix the problem at home before it gets on its high horse.
It would be really cool one day to see both countries have a relationship akin to Canada and the US or Australia and New Zealand.
In reality, although colonised by different European powers and with differing political journeys, the two countries share amazing similarities in language, culture, geography, ethnicity and religion. They also have a shared history. Years before the existence of either country, the Malay archipelago was just that - the Malay archipelago. Over a couple of thousand years, different kingdoms came and went, Hinduism came and went, Buddhism came and went and finally Islam came and stayed. Culture mixed and mingled, people moved and brought their culture with them. Then came Christianity with the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British together with colonisation, increased trade to Europe, exploitation but also development. Apart from some territorial exchanges in 1824, the British and Dutch pretty much divided the archipelago into modern day Indonesia and Malaysia. Of course the Portuguese lost most of their gains but managed to hold onto East Timor. By the way, when I say 'archipelago' I include Malaya, the peninsular that juts out of continental Asia.
The British and Dutch territories gained independence at different times and over approximately 20 years (mid-40s to mid-60s) organised themselves into the present day countries of the region: Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei and East Timor. Of course some of these alliances came about by force – the newly-formed Indonesia became a coloniser in its own right and invaded the Moluccas and West Papua (and eventually East Timor in 1975), swallowing up the countries around it. It even unsuccessfully tried to oppose the formation of Malaysia.
Skip ahead to today. Leaving aside Singapore which is a bit of a regional anomaly, the ethnic and cultural spread across the Malay Archipelago is only separated by political boundaries. Let’s look at some of the similarities between Indonesia and Malaysia.
1. They have the same national language. Bahasa Indonesia and Bahasa Malaysia are two different dialects of the same language: Malay, but have different names for obvious political reasons, the latter also commonly known simply as ‘Malay’. Apart from being influenced by their respective colonial masters, standardised differently and spoken with different accents, they are mutually intelligible. I know this because I have lived in both countries and speak both dialects fluently.
2. Both countries have similar ethnicities. The native people who live in the region are mostly of Austronesian stock (the notable exception being the Melanesian Papuans and other Melanesians of Nusa Tenggara). Indonesia alone has over 100 different ethnicities and languages. Malaysia has around 50. Many of these ethnic groups are found in both countries, in particular the Malays who make up the majority of Malaysia but also exist in large numbers in Indonesia.
3. Both countries have similar cultural practices. Owing to the history of the region and the ethnic makeup of both countries, this is obvious. The same customs, tools, music and cultural practices can be found in both countries.
Then why is there constantly tension between the two countries? Why have there been demonstrations in the streets of Indonesian cities to “kill Malaysia”? Why all the recent fuss over Malaysians allegedly ‘stealing’ Indonesian culture? It has become almost taboo in Indonesia to show any sort of support for Malaysia in anything.
It is quite obvious to anyone who has visited both countries that Malaysia is far more developed than Indonesia. Not only are Malaysians richer but they have enjoyed a relatively stable political climate for the last 50 odd years. Thanks to the British, Malaysians have excellent English whereas Dutch is hardly spoken in Indonesia today. Almost half of Indonesia’s banks are Malaysian owned. Bear in mind Malaysia has a population of approximately 28 million and Indonesia has a population of 240 million. Approximately 2 million Indonesians live and work in Malaysia. That is a staggering number. Why? Because menial jobs there pay a lot more.
During the Mahathir and Suharto eras, relations between Indonesia and Malaysia flourished. Now that those two despots are gone, the last decade or so has seen tensions flare – especially on the Indonesian side. Interestingly, Malaysians have remained much calmer. Generally if you ask a Malaysian on the street, they will bear no ill will towards Indonesia and are blissfully unaware of Indonesia’s hatred. Governments of the two countries have also managed to keep things civil given there is so much interdependence and cooperation but this hasn't really filtered down to the masses in Indonesia.
The average Indonesian will say that Malaysia claims Indonesian culture as its own and that Malaysia mistreats Indonesian workers. They will also claim that Malaysia has 'stolen' Indonesian islands and unlawfully detained Indonesian fishermen. In reality none of these claims are true and have merely been fanned by the Indonesian media.
Batik, wayang kulit, the keris and the 'Rasa Sayang' song. These are the contentious cultural icons allegedly 'stolen' from Indonesia. Somehow, for the last thousand years or so this has never been a problem. But suddenly in the last 5 years, Malays in Malaysia cannot claim these as part of their cultural heritage. Nevermind that Malaysia and Indonesia are made up political boundaries and that these traditions existed way before the countries did. Nevermind that culture is fluid and forever being influenced by other cultures. I personally find it laughable that some people in Indonesia even attempt to defend this stance. Yes, most batik is made in Java and it may have originated in Java a few thousand years ago. Yes, wayang kulit is in the same boat. But any serious cultural historian knows that different forms of batik exist in many countries - even China. Malaysian batik is quite different to Indonesian batik and has been around for hundreds of years. Malay wayang kulit probably originated from Thailand - but you don't see the Thais jumping up and down about it. Now for Javanese to claim that the keris is only part of their culture is ridiculous. That sword has been used by people from the whole archipelago for over a millennium and is so entwined with Malay culture that some Malays even raise it in meetings to 'defend the Malay race'. If Indonesians want to think this way they'd better stop promoting the Borobudur and Prambanan temples because they're actually cultural icons if India, merely 'borrowed' by the Javanese. They'd also better stop wearing the Jilbab (veil) because it's a cultural icon of the Middle East.
Although territorial disputes have made stirred emotions, in reality they have been fairly tame. There hasn't been any real military confrontation (since the 1960s at least) and they have only been maritime disputes. The most famous dispute was that over Sipadan and Ligitan islands which was brought to the International Court of Justice for determination. Predictably, given Malaysia (Sabah) had been utilising these islands for centuries, the ICJ's ruled in Malaysia's favour. Another dispute is the Ambalat dispute which concerns part of the seabed in the Celebes sea. Negotiations are still ongoing however there has considerable tension over the dispute. One of the incidents to receive massive media attention in Indonesia was the 2010 arrest of 3 Indonesian maritime officers off Tanjung Berakit for encroaching into Malaysian waters and boarding Malaysian fishing vessels. Although all detainees were released, a wave of anti-Malaysian sentiment swept Indonesia. Both countries agree that the border here has not been determined.
Another sore point that Indonesians tend to have with Malaysia is the perceived mistreatment of Indonesian migrant domestic workers by their Malaysian employers. It is true that there is a severe lack of rights accorded to domestic workers in Malaysia. There have even been laws enacted enabling employers to confiscate their maids' passports. There have been cases of sexual violence against domestic workers, torture and even murders. As this is blown up in the Indonesian media, this only serves to stoke the fire of Malaysian hatred.
But let's put this in perspective. Although Malaysia is by far the number one destination for Indonesian migrant workers, proportionately Saudi Arabia has the highest number of reported cases of abuse on Indonesian maids. The things these poor workers endure in Saudi Arabia is unbelievable: apparently 1 in 2 domestic workers in Saudi Arabia are abused. The recent cases of Ruyati and Sumiati have shocked and angered Indonesians but no hatred is directed towards the Middle East. And while Indonesians complain about the treatment of their maids abroad, almost no attention is directed at the plight of maids within their own country. There are absolutely no laws for their protection or rights and they are almost all paid well below minimum wage. There are far more cases of sexual violence and torture of domestic workers within Indonesia than in Malaysia. Even the Indonesian government's measures to protect its workers abroad has been lacklustre. Despite public commitment, Indonesia has failed to ratify the 1990 United Nations Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. Even other major countries of origin for migrant workers (such as Mexico and the Philippines) have done so. The lack of regulation and prolific exploitation of migrant workers by both agencies and government officials alike means the Indonesian government is as much to blame as any recipient country for these human rights abuses. To be fair, Malaysia has actually prosecuted crimes committed against domestic workers more than any other major recipient country in the region, including Indonesia. Malaysians have even been sentenced to death for the murder of Indonesian maids.
Having said this though, in my view Malaysians still need to change the way their domestic workers are treated. There is prevailing sentiment within Malaysia that domestic workers from Indonesia and the Philippines are lowly, uneducated, lazy workers who cannot be trusted. The stereotype is that they will steal from and rip off their employer, as soon as they are left alone. They are viewed as a cheap source of labour and their rights as workers are often forgotten. The Malaysian government needs to work on eradicating these notions and promoting the rights of domestic workers. Even so, this hasn’t stopped Indonesians from coming to Malaysia – both legally and illegally. Working conditions in Malaysia still beat those at home.
So you see, it all comes down to sibling rivalry. There really is no reason that these countries can’t work out their differences. In my view Indonesia for the most part needs to come to grips with reality and stop fanning the flame of hatred. Cultural icons are shared, political boundaries mean nothing when it comes to ancient traditions. Unresolved border disputes need to be worked out but you don’t see “Kill Indonesia” rallies in Malaysia. Yes many Indonesian migrant workers are finding life tough in Malaysia but Indonesia needs to fix the problem at home before it gets on its high horse.
It would be really cool one day to see both countries have a relationship akin to Canada and the US or Australia and New Zealand.
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