Joshua Oppenheimer is an Oscar-nominated American film director based in Denmark. He recently produced two award-winning documentaries on the genocide perpetrated by the Indonesian government against ethnic Chinese and others throughout Indonesia in 1965-69. This week marks the 50th anniversary of the beginning that atrocity. Joshua penned what I think is a great op-ed in … [Read more...] about Indonesia’s Hidden Holocaust
ethnic problems
Riots in Assam
There has been terrible violence in India's Assam region recently and the violence has spread to other parts of India. Since this is a blog on China, not India, I am not going to dig too much into the cause or even meaning of the riots. But I do want to point out the relatively "favorable" coverage India is getting. In almost all reports I see, India is cast as the force … [Read more...] about Riots in Assam
Chinese Ethnic Policies and the Affirmative Action: One Rationale, Two Failures
Recent riots in Urumqi have been attributed by the Chinese government to the instigation of Rebiya Kadeer and her World Uyghur Congress. This may distract from a potential public debate on ethnic policies that badly need reform. Years ago, in a high school politics class, I heard our teacher tell us a story about a Han soldier in Tibet. When this soldier saw broken pieces of … [Read more...] about Chinese Ethnic Policies and the Affirmative Action: One Rationale, Two Failures
Can democracy be the solution to Malaysia's ethnic problems?
In a previous discussion on Malaysia's ethnic politics, I was surprised (and dismayed) to sense the depth of dejection some ethnic Chinese in Malaysia may feel toward the political situation in Malaysia. There however may be hope. … [Read more...] about Can democracy be the solution to Malaysia's ethnic problems?