Indonesia--the largest country in Southeast Asia and the
fifth largest in the world--has  a
population of more than 200 million people on more than
17,000 islands scattered across the equator. After the
1997 Asian financial crisis, more than half of the
country's population sank below the poverty line. The
decline in the economy has widened the gap between the
rich and the poor. In particular, ethnic Chinese make up
about three percent of the population but control up to 80
percent of the nation's wealth. Few people note the
distinction that a small handful of huge Chinese-owned
conglomerates dominate the economy, while millions of
ethnic Chinese citizens lead the same middle-class
existence as their compatriots. Problems involving
misunderstanding and hatred toward the Chinese and
Indonesians are increasing.
"Only a sincere concern for this land can really
promote harmony between the Chinese and Indonesian
people." Tzu Chi started its charitable activities in
Indonesia in 1994. Even when rioting erupted in Jakarta in
1998, much of it aimed at the Chinese, Tzu Chi volunteers,
who were mostly Taiwanese, still carried out charitable
deeds to help the poor.
Actions taken to pay back the local community were most
visible in January 2002, after Jakarta suffered from
severe flooding. Tzu Chi volunteers carried out
distributions of relief goods, free clinics, and cleaning
and sanitation work for four consecutive months. On the
Angke River, nicknamed the "Black Heart of
Jakarta," they discovered Kapuk Murua, a crude, poor
village that was almost swallowed up in the floods.
Illegal houses occupied both sides of the river, and the
blackness of the water and the foul odor of garbage in the
river had become extremely noxious. The presence of the
illegal houses and garbage contributed to the flooding of
the village every time it rained. To solve the flooding
problem and to improve the villagers' living conditions,
Tzu Chi decided to appeal to local Chinese businesspeople
to help build a Great Love Village in the spirit of
"Use what you have earned from the local community to
repay the greater society."
In July 2003, the Tzu Chi Great Love Village of 1,100
units was completed, allowing the villagers, who used to
live in shacks along the river, to move into a clean,
bright community. The children, who once played among
garbage, could now study at a new community school.
The Angke River has also witnessed the sad history of
Chinese descendants in Indonesia over the last 300 years.
The Dutch East India Company had originally encouraged the
immigration of Chinese laborers, who lived in peace with
native Indonesians. However, the hard-working Chinese soon
established flourishing commercial networks. In an attempt
to suppress Chinese competition, the Dutch labeled them
"smugglers." All Chinese who were unable to
prove that they were suitably employed in Batavia (now
Jakarta) were summarily deported to Sri Lanka--as slaves.
When they objected and rose in rebellion, they were
immediately crushed. Up to 10,000 Chinese were massacred
and their businesses taken over by the Dutch and the
native Javanese almost overnight. Ever since then, the
Chinese have been made scapegoats whenever other
Indonesians have felt frustrated about their government
and economy.
In spite of this situation, the members of Tzu Chi, a
Taiwanese Buddhist organization, uphold the ideal of Great
Love, which transcends race, nationality, and religion.
Even in countries like Muslim Indonesia, where volunteers
often face prejudice and mistrust, they resolutely perform
charitable deeds in order to improve themselves
spiritually and relieve suffering everywhere.
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