History of Chinese New Year in Indonesia

Beginning in 1965 until 1998 , prohibited the celebration of Chinese New Year is celebrated in public . Why why ? The answer , perhaps because of the G30S/PKI and indeed communism into Indonesia through China , the Presidential Instruction No. 14 was published in 1967 , under the New Order regime of President Suharto's rule , prohibiting everything that smelled of China , one of which is the celebration of the lunar new year .
What does it say? Let's see , , ,

INSTRUCTION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIANUMBER 14 YEAR 1967ABOUTRELIGIOUS beliefs and customs CHINA
WE , THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA OFFICERS
Considering :That religion , beliefs and customs of the Chinese in Indonesia based on the country of his ancestors , which in its manifestation would give rise to psychological , mental and moral less fair to the citizens of Indonesia that is an obstacle to the assimilation process , need to be regulated and functions placed in reasonable proportions .
Given :1 . Constitution of 1945, Article 4, paragraph 1 and article 29 .2 . No. MPRS . XXVII/MPRS/1966 Chapter III Article 7 and Explanation of article 1, paragraph ( a) .3 . Cabinet Presidium Instruction No. . 37/U/IN/6/1967 .4 . Presidential Decree No. 171 of 1967 . jo . 163 of 1966 .
Instructed to :1 . Minister of Religion2 . Interior Minister3 . The entire Board and Tool at the central and regional governments .
To implement the basic policy on religion , beliefs and customs of China as follows :
FIRST :Without prejudice to guarantee freedom of religion , and practice of worship , worship ordinances China which has affinity culturil aspect centered on the country of his ancestors , the implementation should be done internally within the family or personal relationships .
SECOND :Celebrations of religious festivals and customs of China conducted inconspicuous in public , but done in a family environment .
THIRD :Determination of the category of religion and belief as well as the implementation methods of religious worship , beliefs and customs of China regulated by the Minister of Religious Affairs , after consultation with the Attorney General ( AJEL ) .
FOURTH :Security and control of the implementation of this basic policy is set by the Minister of the Interior jointly Attorney General .
FIFTH :This Directive shall enter into force on the day specified .Stipulated in Jakarta on , December 6, 1967
OFFICERS PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA
SOEHARTOGen.
The government assumes that the new order that all cultures and religions are considered to bridge the inclusion of traditional Chinese communism that had entered Indonesia at that time .
Lunar New Year celebrations nationwide first initiated by MATAKIN ( Supreme Council for Confucian Religion in Indonesia ) and claimed to be the feast of Confucianism . Because Indonesia has never known a feast of a particular ethnic group , so that the determination of the Chinese New Year feast Confucian due recognition as one of the recognized religions in Indonesia . This all could not be separated from the figure of Gus Dur ( Abdurrahman Wahid ) and some other religious leaders who consistently fought for the rights of ethnic Chinese and Confucianism kukungan although the New Order regime and intimidation .Just flas back when the new order , Lunar regarded as a taboo and should be eliminated existence misleading .For example , when Surjadi Sudirja become governor of Jakarta said that the Chinese New Year is celebrated prohibited , Chinese New Year can only be celebrated in homes behind closed doors , this also reinforced Buddhist affairs director MORA , Drs . Budi Setiawan , which is based on the letter of the Director General of the Hindu and Buddhist Bimas MORA , no.11/BA.00/29/1/1993 , and various newspapers celebrating the Lunar New Year was declared a ban on the temple and cetya .WALUBI through its governing board also went along no.07/DPP-WALUBI/KU/93 issued a circular letter , dated 11 January 1993 stated that the Chinese New Year feast is not a Buddhist , so Vihara Mahayana should not celebrate the lunar new year with carry Taepekong , Lion Dance , etc. . At times it can be said of all who suffer culture shock phenomenon in droves attacking the Chinese . In fact all Chinese are not religious Confucianism as if away from the celebration of the lunar new year .In the reform era, the reality turned upside down . Everyone acknowledges that the Indonesian Chinese lunar new year celebration is also cultural .
Until the end of 2000 during the leadership of Gus Dur , the ethnic Chinese community in Indonesia can be re- experience the freedom to celebrate the lunar new year when President Abdurrahman Wahid revoked Presidential Instruction No. 14/1967 . Then follow it up with President Abdurrahman Wahid issued Presidential Kepututsan number 19/2001 , dated 9 April 2001, which inaugurated the Chinese New Year as a holiday is optional .New in 2002 , precisely on the 17th of February 2002, the Chinese New Year officially declared as a national holiday by President Megawati Sukarno Putri ...