TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - In the midst of so much depressing news -- unending corruption, unsolvable human trafficking problem and critical water shortage -- comes a series of positive and encouraging reports. Two ethnic Chinese were recently elected to public office: one man as regent of Banjarnegara in Central Java and the first ethnic-Chinese woman as the mayor of Sinkawang in West Kalimantan. Last week, the first woman was elected to lead the influential non-governmental organization, Indigenous People's Alliance of the Archipelago (AMAN). This is an achievement given the normally conservative mindsets of customary and traditional tribal chiefs. "It's time for discrimination against indigenous women to end, because it has no place in this era," said Rukka Sombolinggi of Toraja, South Sulawesi, the new AMAN chairperson. And last but not least, a Papuan police was promoted to become police chief of Tegal regency in Central Java, the first Papuan to serve outside of his province. All this goes to show that the threat of radicalism can be defeated. Yes! to diversity, mobility and equal opportunity for all.
YULI ISMARTONO
