Editing Chinese Indonesians (section)

=== Social policy reforms (1999–present) ===
{{Multiple image
<!-- Essential parameters -->| align             = right

<!-- Images -->| width             = <!-- image width in pixels (an integer, omit "px" suffix); overrides "width[n]"s below -->
<!--image 1-->| image1            = Liong.jpg
| width1            = 220
| alt1              = Dragon dance or ''Liong'' attraction during CNY in Indonesia
| caption1          = [[Dragon dance]] attraction in Jakarta
<!--image 2-->| image2            = Cap go meh festival.jpg
| width2            = 220
| alt2              = cap go meh festival in pekanbaru, Riau Indonesia
| caption2          = [[Lion dance]] celebration in Pekanbaru, during Chinese New Year
<!--image 3-->| image3            = Bakar tongkang prosesi.jpg
| width3            = 220
| alt3              = barge burn procession
| caption3          = "''Bakar [[Tongkang]]''" celebration in [[Bagansiapiapi]]. It was added to a [[Visit Indonesia Year]] list.
<!-- and so on, to a maximum of 10 images (image10) -->

<!-- Footer -->| footer_background = 
| footer_align      = <!-- left (default), center, right -->
| footer            = In 2000 the public practice of Chinese culture, such as fashion and the [[barongsai]], was permitted, and in 2002 [[Chinese New Year]] was declared a national holiday.
}}

Suharto resigned on 21 May 1998, one week after he returned from a [[Group of 15]] meeting in [[Cairo]], which took place during the riots.{{sfn|Purdey|2006|p=106}} The reform government formed by his successor [[B. J. Habibie|Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie]] began a campaign to rebuild the confidence of Chinese Indonesians who had fled the country, particularly businessmen. Along with one of his envoys [[James Riady]], son of financial magnate [[Mochtar Riady]], Habibie appealed to Chinese Indonesians seeking refuge throughout East Asia, Australia, and North America to return and promised security from various government ministries as well as other political figures, such as [[Abdurrahman Wahid]] and [[Amien Rais]]. Despite Habibie's efforts he was met with skepticism because of remarks he made, as vice president and as president, which suggested that the message was insincere.{{sfn|Purdey|2006|p=175}} One special envoy described Chinese Indonesians as the key to restoring badly needed capital and economic activity, prioritizing businessmen as the target of their pleas. Others, including economist [[Kwik Kian Gie]], saw the government's efforts as perpetuating the myth of Chinese economic domination rather than affirming the ethnic Chinese identity.{{sfn|Purdey|2006|p=176}}

Symbolic reforms to Chinese Indonesian rights under Habibie's administration were made through two presidential instructions. The first abolished the use of the terms ''[[Native Indonesians|pribumi]]'' and non-''pribumi'' in official government documents and business. The second abolished the ban on the study of [[Mandarin Chinese]]{{efn|Suharto's government had banned Mandarin-language schools in July 1966 {{harv|Tan|2008|p=10}}. Mandarin-language press and writings were severely limited that year. {{harv|Setiono|2003|p=1091}} According to {{harvtxt|Tan|2008|p=11}}, many families taught Mandarin to their children in secret.}} and reaffirmed a 1996 instruction that abolished the use of the SBKRI to identify citizens of Chinese descent. Habibie established a task force to investigate the May 1998 violence, although his government later dismissed its findings.{{sfn|Purdey|2006|p=179}} As an additional legal gesture Indonesia ratified the 1965 [[Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination]] on 25 May 1999.{{sfn|Purdey|2006|p=180}} In 2000 the newly elected President Wahid abolished the ban on public displays of Chinese culture and allowed Chinese traditions to be practised freely, without the need of a permit. Two years later President [[Megawati Sukarnoputri]] declared that the [[Chinese New Year]] (''{{lang|id|Imlek}}'') would be marked as a [[Public holidays in Indonesia|national holiday]] from 2003.{{sfn|Setiono|2003|p=1099}} Moreover, during President Wahid's presidency, the Indonesian Government initiated the first National Chinese New Year Celebration (''Perayaan Imlek Nasional''). Since then, the National Chinese New Year Celebration has been held annually, attended by the President of Indonesia and related officials. Currently, the [[Supreme Council for the Confucian Religion in Indonesia]] is the organizer of the event.<ref>[https://ditsmp.kemdikbud.go.id/sejarah-perayaan-imlek-yang-kini-menjadi-hari-libur-nasional/ Sejarah Perayaan Imlek yang Kini Menjadi Hari Libur Nasional] {{in lang|id}}</ref>

Furthermore, in addition to President Habibie's directive on the term ''pribumi'', the legislature passed a new citizenship law in 2006 defining the word ''[[wikt:asli#Indonesian|asli]]'' (lit., indigenous) in the [[Constitution of Indonesia|Constitution]] as a natural born person, allowing Chinese Indonesians to be eligible to run for president. The law further stipulates that children of foreigners born in Indonesia are eligible to apply for Indonesian citizenship.{{sfn|Suryadinata|2008|p=12}}

{{Multiple image
<!-- Essential parameters -->| align             = left

<!-- Images -->| width             = <!-- image width in pixels (an integer, omit "px" suffix); overrides "width[n]"s below -->
<!--image 1-->| image1            = Memuja Dewa Jodoh.jpg
| width1            = 220
| alt1              = Praying in front of [[altar]]
| caption1          = Two chinese people praying in front of [[altar]] at Xiang Ma Temple, [[Makassar]]
<!--image 2-->| image2            = Hungry Ghost Festival IVan Damanik12 15 Agustus 2019.jpg
| width2            = 220
| alt2              = Hungry Ghost Festival
| caption2          = An old man throwing a [[hell money|hell notes]] during [[Hungry Ghost Festival]] in [[Gunung Timur Temple]], [[Medan]]
<!--image 3-->| image3            = Koko Cici Jakarta 2016.jpg
| width3            = 255
| alt3              = Koko Cici Jakarta
| caption3          = Youth of chinese attends ''Koko Cici'' ({{lang-zh|s=哥哥姐姐}}) contest in Jakarta, 2016
<!-- and so on, to a maximum of 10 images (image10) -->

<!-- Footer -->| footer_background = 
| footer_align      = <!-- left (default), center, right -->
| footer            = Current culture and tradition of the Chinese, they are still retain the belief, tradition, and its religion until now.
}}

The post-Suharto era saw the end of discriminatory policy against Chinese Indonesians. Since then, numbers of Chinese Indonesians began to take part in the nation's politics, government and administrative sector. The [[Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono]] presidency (2004–2014) saw the first female Chinese Indonesian minister [[Mari Elka Pangestu]] as Minister of Trade (2004–2011) and Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy (2011–2014).<ref>{{cite web | title = Indonesia, US collaborate to develop creative industry | date = 5 May 2014 | work = Antara News | url = http://www.antaranews.com/en/news/93891/indonesia-us-collaborate-to-develop-creative-industry}}</ref> Another notable Chinese Indonesian in Indonesian politics is [[Basuki Tjahaja Purnama]], former [[East Belitung Regency|Regent of East Belitung]] (2005–2006) and first [[governor of Jakarta]] (2014–2017) of Chinese descent.

However, discrimination and prejudice against Chinese Indonesians continues in the 21st century. On 15 March 2016, Indonesian Army General Suryo Prabowo commented that the incumbent governor of Jakarta, [[Basuki Tjahaja Purnama]], should "know his place lest the Indonesian Chinese face the consequences of his action". This controversial comment was considered to hearken back to previous violence against the Indonesian Chinese.<ref>{{cite news|title=Sustaining anti-Chinese sentiment in Jakarta |date=18 March 2016 |url=http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2016/03/18/sustaining-anti-chinese-sentiment-in-jakarta/ |publisher=Australia National University |access-date=17 April 2016}}</ref> On 9 May 2017, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama was sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of committing a criminal act of [[blasphemy]], a move that was widely criticized by many as an attack on free speech.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/09/jakarta-governor-ahok-found-guilty-of-blasphemy-jailed-for-two-years|title=Jakarta governor Ahok found guilty of blasphemy, jailed for two years|work=The Guardian|date=9 May 2017}}</ref>