OPINION: How the Chinese Indonesians share their wealth
The Jakarta Post, February 12, 2005 It has been a hallmark of Chinese New Year (or Imlek) to share angpao (red envelopes) as a gesture of sharing wealth, luck and joy. What does a Chinese Indonesian have to share in this Imlek of 2556? In light of the tsunami catastrophe several Chinese Indonesian religious and cultural associations found it necessary to call for more moderate celebrations. Perhaps it was a futile call -- remembering how during New Year's Eve, less than a week after the disaster, frenzied parties were still held. After all, Imlek these days is no longer a closed family celebration. Since 2000 it has become a festive national occasion -- mainly thanks to the media and business sector. Nevertheless, the call is a sympathetic gesture that we ought to respect. Festive or moderate, Imlek is an expression, even at the most superficial level, of the extent to which Chinese Indonesians are freely able to express themselves and of how much they are generally accepted ...