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Religious leaders against Yudhoyono for failing to stop corruption and violence
by Mathias Hariyadi
In an open letter to the Indonesian people, Catholic, Muslim, Protestant, Buddhist and Hindu leaders slam the president’s “silence” and “inertia.” In reacting, Yudhoyono calls the accusations “improper”, urging the religious leaders not to mix religion and politics. By contrast, the latter inisst that it is their “moral duty” to expose problems for the good of the people.
Jakarta (AsiaNews) – A group of Indonesian religious leaders have issued a statement criticising Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for his “silence” and excessive “inertia” in dealing with the crucial problems affecting the country, including the fight against corruption and respect for the principles sanctioned by the constitution like freedom of religion. The declaration, which comes after the president’s latest cabinet reshuffle, follows days of heated political discussions and tensions inside the majority. In their missive, the religious leaders reject the view that their criticism is fuelling violence in the country.
Titled ‘Open Letter to the People of Indonesia’, the statement was signed by 11 religious leaders. Mgr Martinus Situmorang, the bishop of Padang and president of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia, and Fr Franz Magnis-Suseno, a Jesuit priest and philosophy professor, are among them. Prominent Muslim, Protestant, Buddhist and Hindu religious also signed the statement.
All of them accuse Yudhoyono for his excessive and guilty silence with regards to the nation’s main problems, like corruption and communal violence. “Our concern is more serious now than before,” they say.
A similar action was undertaken in January 2011 by an interfaith movement that was also very critical of the president’s actions. On that occasion however, rather than listen to the constructive criticism, he lashed out at his critics. He called their views “improper” and said they should not mix religion and politics.
In responding to the president’s accusations, the religious leaders insist instead that it is their “moral duty” to speak out and complain about the country’s problems, and this for good of the people.
For the letter’s signatories, a “politically weak” president cannot deal with the country’s problems and resolve them. Reiterating their negative judgement, they slammed the president for his “ignorance” on a number of major issues.
“It does not make any sense that the president has no idea about bad practices associated with corruption and has done nothing to stop them,” the religious leaders wrote.