Egyptian pound wavers vs. USD in early trade    SCZONE showcases investment opportunities to eight Japanese companies    Egypt urges Israel to accept Gaza deal amid intensifying fighting    Egypt, ADIB explore strategic partnership in digital healthcare, investment    Egypt's PM meets Tokyo governor, witnesses signing of education agreements    Egypt welcomes international efforts for peace in Ukraine    Al-Sisi, Macron reaffirm strategic partnership, coordinate on Gaza crisis    Egypt's Sisi, France's Macron discuss Gaza ceasefire efforts in phone call    Contact Reports Strong 1H-2025 on Financing, Insurance Gains    Egypt, India's BDR Group in talks to establish biologics, cancer drug facility    AUC graduates first cohort of film industry business certificate    Egypt to tighten waste rules, cut rice straw fees to curb pollution    Indian tourist arrivals to Egypt jump 18.8% in H1-2025: ministry data    Egypt prepares unified stance ahead of COP30 in Brazil    Egypt recovers collection of ancient artefacts from Netherlands    Egypt harvests 315,000 cubic metres of rainwater in Sinai as part of flash flood protection measures    Egypt, Namibia explore closer pharmaceutical cooperation    Fitch Ratings: ASEAN Islamic finance set to surpass $1t by 2026-end    Renowned Egyptian novelist Sonallah Ibrahim dies at 88    Egyptian, Ugandan Presidents open business forum to boost trade    Al-Sisi says any party thinking Egypt will neglect water rights is 'completely mistaken'    Egypt's Sisi warns against unilateral Nile measures, reaffirms Egypt's water security stance    Egypt's Sisi, Uganda's Museveni discuss boosting ties    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Putting an end to intolerance in Indonesia
Published in Daily News Egypt on 23 - 07 - 2010

JAKARTA: The beginning of 2010 saw much violence directed towards Indonesia's religious minorities. On Jan. 3, a group called the People Communication Forum burnt down the Filadelfia Church, a house of worship for the Protestant Batak Christians in Bekasi, West Java. In a separate instance, extremist groups, such as the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and the Taliban Brigade, forcefully shut down an Ahmadiyyah mosque and community centre.
Most evident in the outskirts of Jakarta where the FPI compels officials — by threatening attacks or disturbing the peace — to implement a conservative interpretation of Islamic law, this type of aggression undermines the natural tolerance that has existed among Indonesia's religious communities until recent decades.
Jeirry Sumampow, Coordinator of the Indonesian Voters Committee, believes that there are three fundamental problems causing this increase in religious and sectarian violence.
First, inter-religious violence is often tied to political factors. Certain groups exacerbate religious and ethnic differences to gain support in local elections, influencing voters to cast ballots along religious or ethnic lines.
Second, the movement of people from villages to cities has contributed to greater unemployment in urban areas. Those from rural areas generally have less education and thus face greater difficulties finding employment. The resulting economic gap and jealousy directed towards the wealthy has shifted popular sentiment towards certain religious groups that provide the poor promises of economic fulfillment.
The implicit trade-off of course is that those who are helped are then encouraged to adopt their benefactor's agenda, which often marginalizes other religions. Thus, efforts to build a strong sense of inter-religious community face not only theological but also socio-economic challenges.
Finally, some people take an exclusivist view on religion, claiming that their beliefs are superior to others'. Such attitudes can lead to inter-group violence, with certain followers attacking others because they are perceived as deviating from “true” Islam.
Though some local groups are already hard at work to address the tensions between faiths and prevent inter-religious violence, Indonesians must do more.
The Wahid Institute, an organization espousing a moderate and tolerant view of Islam and working for the welfare of all Indonesians, in cooperation with the Center for Marginalized People (CMARs), are giving a voice to religious minority groups and engaging with them in national dialogues and anti-discrimination campaigns. These campaigns allow minority groups to share their perspectives as “potential victims” among the larger population. And, at the same time, the Wahid Institute and CMARs are helping to tackle issues of religious violence in the country by embracing marginalized groups to prevent them from becoming extremist.
Despite the social, political and economic challenges outlined above, Ahmad Suaedy, Executive Director of the Wahid Institute, believes social change is occurring in Indonesian society, and can continue. However, he argues that ''communities need a new system or mechanism to map the social problems occurring in the community.”
Persistent promotion of peace and tolerance among religious groups — and in the media — is needed. This includes highlighting innovative initiatives that are shifting attitudes toward mutual respect between religious adherents, regardless of beliefs.
The Indonesian government also has a role to play. Establishing a national commission — representative of Indonesia's diverse religious makeup — to accommodate the aspirations of Indonesia's multi-religious community would promote the development of intensive studies on factors influencing conflict and pluralism.
The results from these studies would allow the commission to make informed and effective policy recommendations to the government that would promote the political and social empowerment of religious and ethnic minorities. The commission's recommendations could also be applied at the provincial level.
Without deliberate steps towards the creation of a pluralistic and mutually inclusive society, the violence against religious minorities will continue to tear apart the diversity that has molded and enriched Indonesia. Religious organizations, the media and the government must work together to make peace and tolerance a priority in Indonesia.
Luther Kembaren is a journalist for the daily Jurnal Nasional newspaper and a participant of the January 2010 training on intercultural reporting organized by the UN Alliance of Civilizations and Search for Common Ground in Jakarta. This article was written for the Common Ground News Service (CGNews).


Clic here to read the story from its source.