ASIMILASI ETNIS TIONGHOA INDONESIA DAN IMPLIKASINYA TERHADAP INTEGRASI NASIONAL (Studi di Kota Tanjungbalai Provinsi Sumatera Utara)

Indonesia is a country with ethnic diversity. On the one hand, ethnic diversity is the pride, but on the other side also has the potential for conflict that could threaten national integration. Inter-ethnic conflicts which most frequently occur in Indonesia is a conflict between indigenous with ethnic Tionghoa. To prevent a wider conflict, the government imposed a policy of assimilation against ethnic Tionghoa in order to achieve national integration. Integration requires the unification of the national territory, while the assimilation requires unifying the joint inter-ethnic residing in the territory. This research was done to the ethnic Tionghoa Tanjungbalai City of North Sumatera Province, to know the implications of assimilation carried out against national integration. In conducting research use descriptive method to know about the historical background, ways of assimilation, and matters relating to the "Tionghoa problem". To gather the data needed, use the method of observation, interviews, documentation, and library research. Meanwhile, to analyze the data obtained is used qualitative methods with the approach of inductive and deductive thinking. The results showed that in the conduct of assimilation, ethnic Tionghoa have a centrifugal tendency. They want to keep the traditions, value systems, language, and religion that characterized its ethnic groups. Therefore they are doing by way of acculturation assimilation, amalgamation, structural, identification, and citizenship, while the assimilation of the attitudes and behaviors can be said is never done. In doing assimilation, they are faced with several obstacles, namely the persistence of superior sense, ethnic Tionghoa are the ethnic majority, ethnic diversity in the City of Tanjungbalai, and teething problems at the Vihara Buddha Statue Amitbha Tri Ratna. In general, it can be said that the assimilation of ethnic Tionghoa in the city of Tanjungbalai quite successful. Assimilation success is not measured by statistics, but can be seen from its implications for national integration. Assimilation of ethnic Tionghoa Tanjungbalai City has positive implications for national integration, including: the implications of the integration of ideology, political, economic, socio-cultural, and security integration