President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has pledged to ensure the fulfillment of people's civil rights and Tionghoa Confucius, according to Indonesian citizenship law.
"The government will ensure the fulfillment of civil rights and race Confucius Tionghoa accordance with the mandate of Law Number 12 Year 2006 on Citizenship of Indonesia," the president said in a National Lunar New Year celebrations at the Jakarta Convention Center, February 20 last.
About 6,000 people, including vice presidents, a number of ministers of United Indonesia Cabinet II and inter-faith leaders attended the event held Confucian High Council of Indonesia (MATAKIN).
The theme is taken "Once Promises spoken, four horses Could not Attract Back."
Lunar New Year celebration began in 2000 nationally since the late Abdurrahman Wahid, who is remembered as the father of pluralism - allowing a national celebration.
The President appealed to all parties involved to continue to improve the quality of service for civil rights for the people of Confucius and the community hard.
"Let me say once again in this reform era, there shall be no discrimination against anyone, including people of Confucius and the community hard. Tionghoa is an integral part of Indonesian citizens, "he said.
The President admitted, as head of state he was proud of the progress in fulfilling the civil rights of people of Confucianism, such as civil records for a marriage that in principle there is no problem. In fact, Confucianism education has also been regulated by the Regulation of the Minister of Religious Affairs.
"In the future I ask the Minister of Religious Affairs, Minister of National Education, Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, as well as all relevant parties, both the central and local levels, to continue to improve the quality of service for civil rights for the people of Confucius and Tionghoa," he promised.
President Yudhoyono also invited the whole Sino-Indonesian citizens to contribute to strengthen the unity and harmonious life and full of brotherly ties with other Indonesian citizens.
Meanwhile, chairman MATAKIN, Budi Santoso Tanuwibowo, which drew praise Wahid Presidential Instruction No. 14/1967, which prohibits people celebrate the Lunar New Year Confucius openly.
During President Megawati Sukarnoputri is set as the Lunar New Year holidays, and during the era of President Yudhoyono now civil rights people Confucius and Sino-Indonesian society has been fulfilled.
"We are grateful for all the rights of the people of Confucius, one by one have been resolved issues ranging from civil records, ID cards, religious education and citizenship law in Indonesia," he said in a speech Tanuwibowo.
In that event made special prayers for the late Gus Dur for his services for the people of Confucianism.