Strategi Bertahan Etnis Tionghoa di Kota Kendari pada Masa Orde Baru, 1967–1998

Abstract

Discrimination against Chinese in Indonesian historiography has persisted from the Dutch colonial period to contemporary times. Although Indonesia is home to various migrant ethnic groups such as Arabs, Indians, and Europeans, government policies, particularly during the New Order era, tended to be more discriminatory toward ethnic Chinese. This study aims to analyze the underlying factors behind these discriminatory policies and to examine the survival strategies of the Chinese community in Kendari City during the New Order period. The research employs a historical method, including heuristics, source criticism, interpretation, and historiography. The findings indicate that discriminatory policies against ethnic Chinese were closely linked to the political aftermath of the September 30, 1965 incident. This event led to the issuance of New Order policies, including Presidential Instruction No. 14 of 1967 concerning Chinese religion, beliefs, and customs, which significantly restricted the public expression of Chinese culture in the name of political stability. These conditions were also experienced by the Chinese community in Kendari between 1967 and 1998. As a survival strategy, they adapted by adopting Indonesian names, nationalizing Chinese schools, using the Indonesian language in daily life, and complying with administrative requirements such as obtaining the Certificate of Indonesian Citizenship (SBKRI).