Siauw Giok Tjhan and Abdurrahman Wahid: History of Chinese Citizenship in Indonesia

Abstract

This study aims to describe the role of Siauw Giok Tjhan and Abdurrahman Wahid in mainstreaming the discourse of ethnic Chinese citizenship into an integral part of the Indonesian nation. This study uses historical research methods. The results showed that Siauw Giok Tjhan through Baperki (Indonesian Citizenship Consultative Body) an organization founded in 1954 had helped ethnic Chinese from discriminatory policies in order to obtain Indonesian citizen status (WNI). Siauw Giok Tjhan suggested that the ethnic Chinese should carry out a proper integration into the Indonesian nation-society. Through the concept of fair integration, Siauw Giok Tjhan tries to instill awareness in the ethnic Chinese about their Indonesian identity and nation building. However, the political changes after the G30S 1965 have become a setback for the ethnic Chinese to integrate. When Abdurrahman Wahid was president, various policies were carried out to assist ethnic Chinese in the integration process and eliminate discriminatory policies. The strengthening of identity politics today is also due to the absence of these two national figures.