Chinese Indonesians recognize improvement

By Erwida Maulia , THE JAKARTA POST

Chinese-Indonesians are beginning to enjoy the lowering of many major hurdles in living in the mainly Muslim country, a top Confucian leader says.

The only remaining problem is the issue of ID cards, over which ethnic Chinese residents still face discrimination in many parts of the country, said Indonesia Confucianism High Assembly (Matakin) chairman Budi S. Tanuwibowo.

He was speaking during a celebration in Jakarta on Sunday for Chinese New Year, which was attended by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Some 6,000 Confucians were present at the event organized by Matakin.

In turn, Yudhoyono called on all state officials to improve their services to the country's Confucian and Chinese-Indonesian communities, saying all discriminatory acts against minorities must be put to an end.

He added there had been significant progress in the fulfillment of civilian rights for both minority groups over the last 10 years.

“I’m asking the religious affairs minister, the education minister and the justice and human rights minister, as well as all related parties in both central and local administrations, to continue to improve the quality of their services so as to fulfil the civilian rights of the Confucian and ethnic Chinese communities,” Yudhoyono said in his address.

“In accordance with the 2006 Law on Citizenship, you [state officials] should not have any doubts about giving good service.

"There should be no more discriminatory treatment against anyone."

The improvement of minority groups' rights, the President added, could be found in marriage registrations, now available to Confucian couples.

It can also be seen in the education sector, with the Religious Affairs Ministry’s issuance of two regulations legalizing the incorporation of Confucian teachings in school curricula.

“Also, the Center for Religious Harmony now serves Confucianism. And there are no more problems now about the establishment of houses of worship for Confucians,” Yudhoyono said.

In response, Matakin's Budi Tanuwibowo acknowledged the improving conditions, citing “three big occurrences” last year, including the issuance of the two ministerial regulations and the granting of a plot of land at the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah theme park to establish a Confucian temple, whose ground-breaking ceremony will take place Monday.

Another “historic” occurrence was Yudhoyono’s attendance, the first ever by a president, at the celebration last October of Prophet Kong Zi’s 2559th birthday in Cibinong, West Java, Budi added.

"All problems [over the rights of Confucians and ethnic Chinese communities] are over now, except in the application of ID cards, which remains problematic in many regions," he said.

Indonesia officially began celebrating Chinese New Year after former president Abdurrahman Wahid in 1999 annulled a 1967 presidential instruction banning all activities related to Chinese traditions, including the practices of Confucianism teaching.

Three years later, Wahid's successor Megawati Soekarnoputri officially declared Chinese New Year a national holiday.

Yudhoyono, who is seeking another five-year term in office, seized upon Sunday's event to ask Confucians to vote during the upcoming legislative and presidential elections.

Arabia Desert

Arabia Desert inhabited by nomadic tribes in Akkadian called Aribi, often invade neighboring countries, such as Arabia Felix and Mesopotamia, which they sometimes gain victory. To understand the isolation that is known as a person without a history of hard work is required, however they are known as a camel rider in the century to the ninth or ten before Christ (BC). In 250 BC the various tribes of Arabia began to move toward Levant. Tribe noted that the tribe is Qedar and Nabatu the road to the area Edomit, Moabite and Jews. In the Parthian and the Roman period, several dynastic grip on the city in Arabia Syam (France) and Iraq. The city is among other Palmyra, Emesa, Edessa, Hatra, Chacene and Gerrha. Meanwhile, modern people generally think that the population of Arabia as the Arab Peninsula, experts in ancient history often refer people with the name of their tribe directly. This merupakjan which is very important to find people who are indeed Arab.
Petra Arabs living between Egypt and Mesopotamia, which finally set the odyssey of them as a way of life, build some of the city. The main people in this region and the Nabasia people are Petra as their capital. The oldest reference to the Arab people can be found in the Book of Genesis Gospel, where Arab traders buy and sell children with Josep Jacob. References in the report found other war King Assyirian Salmanasser in 853 BC and a report about a kingdom called Aribi, mentioned from Tiglath-Pileser III (745 - 727 BC) to the front and the followers of Asssyrian to mid-second century ketujuah. Then, by Arab kings Babilonia be caused to bow Nabonidus, which create a relaxing oasis theme, and reached the capital Yatribu (Medina). According to Greek researchers, Herodotus, the Persian king Cambyses is not occupying the Arab attack on Egypt 525 BC. Its successor, Darius I did not mention in the Arabic inscription Behistun from the first year of reign, but note them in the end. This shows that Darius is only part of the area subjected Arabia. There are no instructions that indicate loyal or not loyal to the king of Persia. After the Macedonian king Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire between 335 to 323 BC, part of Arabia which left more or less autonomy for centuries. In 106 CE (M), the Jordan Arabia related to the province as the Roman empire under the power of Trajan. There are few cities in this province from north to the medical, Adraa (dara '), Dion, Gerasa (Jerash), Philadelphia (Amman) and Aila (Aqaba). During the Roman period, and the historian Josephus Strabo with the free use of the word jumble Nabasia with the Arab kings and vice versa Nabasia known as the king of the Arab kingdom and they are known as Arabia. But this is only the suitability to become the Province of the Kingdom of Nabasia Arabia, which include the Empire Rowawi. Although, the control of sea routes by Himyar very convincing. At the end of the third century, the king Samir Yuhar unify Yemen. He was considered important enough to negotiate with the king kestaraan in the Persian Empire.

Prophet Jeremiah

According Ibn Kathir, another prophet is Jeremiah (pbuh) Ibn Hilkiah from the House of Levi Ibn Jacob (pbuh). It has been claimed that he was Al-Khidr. This was related by Al-Dahak from Ibn Abbas but it is not true.
Ibn Asakir reported that it is written in some scrolls that Jeremiah stood upon the blood of John Ibn Zechariah while it was flowing and he said: "O blood! You have enlightened the people, so take a rest." So it stopped and condensed until it disappeared.
There is a tradition that Jeremiah asked Allah: "O Lord! Which of Your slaves is more lovable to You?" He answered: "Those who remember Me most away from their remembrance of My creatures; those who are not thinking of death, nor speak of eternal living; those who, when they are allured by the riches of this world, despise them, and when they lose them are happy; those have My love, indeed, and I shall reward them more than they desired."