Anti-Chinese Violence in Indonesia, 1996–1999 (ASAA Southeast Asia Publications)

The book does a great job and providing a detailed laundry list of events in which being chinese or religion played a feature in one side vs another side. But sadly misses in providing the context of the environment in which these events occurred. Almost as if the author is afraid of really examining the failure of Islam and the government in managing and policing its own behaviors. And every incident should start with the premise of it’s never justified in attacking anyone regardless of poverty, personal frustrations, or feeling marginalized to then attack or rape or loot or burn or vandalise others especially based on something that cannot be done. Ones heritage.This is the same tempest that harmed Jews in Europe. They are successful, then there must be a conspiracy to their success. They are Jewish first and can never be loyal to any nation. And certainly nothing in Islam justifies any of this abuses that is Un-Islamic. There is some suggestion that provocateurs may be manipulating and escalating events but this gets only a suggestion. I still recommend this book, even with these failings as there is so little research on this topic.

If you read this book for literary pleasure, you will be disappointed and probably dissatisfied. This book is essentially for academics and aficionados of this specific genre (historical records via interviews aided by overall conclusions). The subject matter is a matter of great concern and interest to a significant minority in Indonesia and the book serves as an exorcism to the horrors of a chaotic period in Indonesian history and will aid many in finding a closure to the unfortunate events experienced by the victims of ethnic based targetted atrocities. It is important because it deserves to be kept for posterity so that it will not recur in the future.