Konradus Epa, Jakarta
Indonesia
April 7, 2011
Saman Zia-Zarifi, director of Amnesty's Asia-Pacific programAmnesty International yesterday accused the Indonesian government of failing to address abuses committed against religious minorities.
The human rights watchdog said the government has failed to meet its obligation to protect people’s rights as mentioned in Indonesia’s 1945 constitutions and the international covenant on civil and political rights.
“The Indonesian government must do more to stop the rising number of cases of violence, intimidation, harassment and discrimination against religious minority groups,” said Saman Zia-Zarifi, Amnesty’s Asia-Pacific director at a press conference in Jakarta yesterday.
He said the ministry of home affairs should have instructed provincial and district governments to implement measures protecting basic human rights, such as religious belief and freedom of expression, to prevent the stigmatization of religious minority groups.
Zarifi said he had met leaders from the Nahdlatul Ulama, Muhammadiyah, and Communion of Churches in Indonesia, to discuss the government’s failure in tackling religion-based violence.
Amnesty, he said, has also urged the Indonesian police to stay on alert to prevent church attacks such as in Temanggung and attacks on Ahmadiyah sect members from happening again.
Three sect members were killed during an attack by more than 1,000 mainstream Muslims on worshippers at a house in Banten, in central Java on February 6.
Two days later, in Temanggung, also in central Java, mobs ransacked three churches after a court jailed a Christian for five years for insulting Islam. The mobs had demanded the death penalty.
Human rights activists from different organizations also attended yesterday’s press conference.
Haris Azhar from the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence, said there were 62 cases of violence against Ahmadis in the first three months of this year, and at least 20 cases occurred in the past month.
Ahmadis, unlike orthodox Muslims, do not believe Mohammed was the last prophet.
IJ13894.1648
15 April 2011
Priest warns of threats to national idealsOportunistism and religious intolerance on the increase, says Jesuit
Konradus Epa, Jakarta
Indonesia
April 12, 2011
A Jesuit priest yesterday warned Indonesians of two serious threats to Pancasila — their national ideology.
Pancasila — the five principles — enshrined in the preamble to the 1945 constitution, stipulates belief in one God; a just and civilized society; a united Indonesia; democracy guided by consensus; and social justice for all.
“We now are facing two serious threats, namely opportunism and narrow-mindedness. It these are not addressed immediately, Indonesia is really in danger,” said Father Franz Magnis-Suseno.
He was speaking to 300 lawmakers and religious leaders attending a book launch at the parliament building in Jakarta.
According to the lecturer at the Jesuit-run Driyarkara School of Philosophy, opportunists are individuals who use a situation to better themselves and their existence and ignore the public interest. “This should not happen,” he said.
Narrow-mindedness is when people dismiss diversity and pay more attention to sectarian interests. “Those who are like this cannot appreciate religious and cultural diversity anymore,” he continued.
Masdar Farid Masudi of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama agreed.
Opportunism is more dominant in both the legislative and executive bodies of government, and narrow-mindedness is displayed by certain religious leaders, especially Muslims, that teach radicalism and fundamentalism and interpret texts literally, he said.
The book: Plenary State: Historicity, Rationality and Actuality of Pancasila, was written by Yudi Latif, a Muslim intellectual.
In his speech, he said: “I wrote this book to make people know about our nation. Who we are? In national life, we are neither the majority of dictators nor marginalized minority. We are equal,” he asserted.
Related report
Indonesia urged to live up to its principles
IJ13942.1649
Indonesia
April 12, 2011
A Jesuit priest yesterday warned Indonesians of two serious threats to Pancasila — their national ideology.
Pancasila — the five principles — enshrined in the preamble to the 1945 constitution, stipulates belief in one God; a just and civilized society; a united Indonesia; democracy guided by consensus; and social justice for all.
“We now are facing two serious threats, namely opportunism and narrow-mindedness. It these are not addressed immediately, Indonesia is really in danger,” said Father Franz Magnis-Suseno.
He was speaking to 300 lawmakers and religious leaders attending a book launch at the parliament building in Jakarta.
According to the lecturer at the Jesuit-run Driyarkara School of Philosophy, opportunists are individuals who use a situation to better themselves and their existence and ignore the public interest. “This should not happen,” he said.
Narrow-mindedness is when people dismiss diversity and pay more attention to sectarian interests. “Those who are like this cannot appreciate religious and cultural diversity anymore,” he continued.
Masdar Farid Masudi of the Central Board of Nahdlatul Ulama agreed.
Opportunism is more dominant in both the legislative and executive bodies of government, and narrow-mindedness is displayed by certain religious leaders, especially Muslims, that teach radicalism and fundamentalism and interpret texts literally, he said.
The book: Plenary State: Historicity, Rationality and Actuality of Pancasila, was written by Yudi Latif, a Muslim intellectual.
In his speech, he said: “I wrote this book to make people know about our nation. Who we are? In national life, we are neither the majority of dictators nor marginalized minority. We are equal,” he asserted.
Related report
Indonesia urged to live up to its principles
IJ13942.1649
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