04/09/2013, 00.00
INDONESIA
Send to a friend

Hundreds of Christians, Ahmadis and Shias take to the streets in Jakarta for religious freedom

by Mathias Hariyadi
At least 300 people marched through the streets of the capital, ending their protest in front of Parliament. They shouted slogans, prayed and sang the national anthem. Protestant clergyman says their message was for the authorities, including President Yudhoyono, which are not doing anything about it. Protest is a reaction to recent anti-minority attacks.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Seals on Protestant Churches, threats to Catholics during Holy Week, the closure of mosques and institutions belonging to the Ahmadi sect are but a few of the big and small examples of marginalisation minorities endure every day. In order to raise awareness among the public and foreign media on the frequent violations of the rights of religious minorities, hundreds of Christians, Ahmadis and Shia Muslims marched yesterday through the streets of Jakarta. They called on the much criticised government to take swift and effective action to ensure full religious freedom and equal rights for all of Indonesia's citizens as guaranteed by the constitution and the country's founding principles of Pancasila. The archipelago is the world's most populous (and predominantly Sunni) Muslim nation.

The 300 protesters who met yesterday in the streets of the capital shouted slogans and prayed together, each according to his or her faith. After that, they sang the national anthem and marched towards the People's Representative Council (House of Representative) building.

In the past, members of the Yasmin Church (YC) and the Batak Christian Protestant Church (HBKP) had chosen for their protest another symbolically charged site, the official residence of the President,.

Rev Simanjutak, leader of the HKBP community, welcomed the interfaith march. It sends a clear message to the authorities, which are not paying attention to the issue. In his criticism, the Protestant clergyman does not spare President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono who has done nothing "to prevent attacks by extremist groups."

An activist institution, the Setara Institute, has provided evidence of the seriousness of the situation, documenting at least 264 cases of attacks and episodes of direct or indirect violence against religious minorities.

Although it formally guarantees the constitutional principle of religious freedom, Indonesia is increasingly the scene of attacks and violence against minorities.

In Aceh province, the only one in the country ruled by Sharia or Islamic law, and in many other places, a more radical and extreme visions of the Muslim religion is taking root in people's lives.

In addition, some rules, such as the infamous Izin Mendirikan Bangunan or building permit, are used to prevent the building of non-Muslim places of worship or to have them closed down and sealed.

In its response, the government has accused some minority leaders of using the permit issue to turn an administrative question into a political-religious one.

In particular, on several occasions Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali attacked the YC and HKBP for casting a bad light on the government and the country in foreign media.

TAGs
Send to a friend
Printable version
CLOSE X
See also
West Java: hundreds of extremists attack Ahmadi homes and a mosque
06/05/2013
Eight killed and 20 injured in Ahmadiyya mosque shooting
07/10/2005
Catholic music to promote dialogue in Ambon, the city of sectarian violence
17/10/2018 13:29
Punjab Muslim fundamentalists against the Ahmadis, three traders killed
08/04/2010
Priest seriously injured in attack against Catholic Church
24/08/2004


Newsletter

Subscribe to Asia News updates or change your preferences

Subscribe now
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”