National

Indonesians of Chinese Descent Have Difficulties in Obtaining Birth Certificates
Wednesday, 30 November, 2005 | 17:44 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Tangerang:Poor Indonesians of Chinese descent, especially those living in the Kota area of Jakarta as well as in Tangerang regency, face the threat of being unable to work abroad.

This is because the information on their birth certificates was never legalized.

This regulation is referred to in State Decree No.62/1958 regarding Citizenship of the Republic of Indonesia.

“However, birth certificates will be useful when applying for passports at the Immigration office,” Rebbeka Harsono, chairperson of the Indonesian Anti-Discrimination Board, told Tempo on Monday (28/11).

Harsono said she was concerned about the many Indonesians of Chinese descent who have experienced difficulties in arranging their birth certificates.

Birth certificates can only be issued by the Civil Registry Office if the requirements are fully met, including Resident’s Identity Cards, family cards and marriage certificates.

Marriage certificates could be a problem because many Indonesians of Chinese descent do not have these.

Pi Lian, a resident of Kebun Besar, Kosambi Barat, for example, has experienced difficulties in arranging birth certificates for her three children because she was married to her husband (A Hong) without a marriage certificate.

“When we were married, we had a party but there was no marriage certificate,” said Pi Lian, who has been working as a laundry maid.

It take a year to arrange a birth certificate and she has had to twice reregister for her Resident’s Identity Card.

“Even though I had a letter stating that I come from a poor family, I still had to pay Rp5.000,” stated Pi Lian.

Lian already has an ID card which includes the family name of her father, Kwee.

But, after having registered at the Civil Registry Offices, officials requested Pi Lian to include her mother’s name.

Because Pi Lian has no marriage license, she then had her ID card changed by adding the name of Lie, referring to her mother’s family name, in front of her name.

Due to bureaucratic difficulties, she has as yet been unable to arrange birth certificates for her three daughters.

Harsono said she was worried that the three daughters of Pi Lian would have no legal status.

She said she hoped that the government would not discriminate as regards the status of local and non-local people because they had already become Indonesian citizens.

“We were born, raised and studied here. We will also work and die here,” stated Harsono.(Ayu Cipta-Tempo News Room)