7/31/2019 Indonesias president accused of turning a blind eye to violence by Muslims

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IndonesiaspresidentaccusedofturningablindeyetoviolencebyMuslims

Jun9th2012

MAYwasacruelmonthforIndonesianstryingtodonothingmorethanworshiptheirgod.DuringanAscensionDayserviceonMay17th(andagainonMay20th),about100ProtestantswereattackedbyaMuslimmobattheirchurchinBekasiontheoutskirtsofthecapital,Jakarta.Themobhurledstones,bagsofurineanddeaththreatsatthecongregation.Thechurchwasstillonlyhalf-builtwhenitwasattacked;thepastorhasbeenwaitingmorethanfiveyearsforpermissionfromthelocaldistrictadministrationtocompleteit.SinceMay2ndlocalgovernmentofficialsintheultra-conservativeMuslimprovinceofAceh,innorthernSumatra,haveclosedatleast16Christianchurches,citinglackofpermits.

Suchintimidation,andtheongoingrowsoverpermits,arenowsocommonplacethattheyarebarelyreported.OnMay26th,however,theissueofreligiousintoleranceinthisMuslim-majoritynationmadeinternationalheadlineswhenIslamichardlinersforcedthecancellationofasold-outconcertbyLadyGaga,anAmericanpopstar.TheIslamicDefendersFront(knownbyitsinitialsinIndonesian,FPI)hadthreatenedtoprovokechaosifsheenteredthecountry.Herpromoterssaidthattheycouldnotguaranteeher,orherfans,safety.Theywereprobablyright.

Criticsarguethattheseareonlythelatestincidentsinaremorselessriseofreligiousintolerance,andoftenviolence.HumanRightsWatch,aNewYork-based

lobbygroup,reportsthatincidentsofsectarianviolencebecamemoredeadlyandmorefrequentlastyear.IslamichardlinersattackednotonlyChristianchurchesbutalsoMuslimsects,suchastheAhmadiyah,thattheybelievetobeheretical.ThemostshockingincidentoccurredinFebruarylastyearwhenamobof1,500,stokedupbylocalFPIleaders,attackedthehouseofalocalAhmadiyahleaderinwestJava,killingthreepeople.

ThegovernmentofPresidentSusiloBambangYudhoyonohasbeenaccusedofdoingtoolittletostopsuchattacks,ortoexpressenoughconcernaboutviolentIslamicgroups.HiscriticssaythathepanderstoMuslimfundamentalismforpoliticalgain,despitehisobligationsintheconstitutiontoprotectfreedomofworship.MrYudhoyonohasdishedoutcabinetpostsinhisbroadcoalitiontotheleadersofthecountrysmainIslamicparties.

Certainly,cabinetministersfromtheIslamicpartieshavebeenlessthanhelpfulinpromotingIndonesiaasthemoderate,pluralisticcountryitclaimstobe.Thereligious-affairsminister,SuryadharmaAli,hasblamedtheAhmadiyahitselfforinvitingdeadlyattacks,sayingithadstrayedfrommainstreamIslam.InMarchhesuggestedbanningwomenfromwearingskirtsthatwereabovetheknee,callingthempornographic.Theinformationminister,TifatulSembiring,hasmadeoffensivecommentsabouthomosexuals.

Thepresidenthasutteredafewvaguepublicstatementsaboutnon-violenceandrespectingotherpeoplesrights,buthehaslargelylefttheproblemtolocalgovernments.Thishasappearedonlytoemboldenextremistgroups,whichnowfeelthattheycanactwithimpunity.Sometimesthepoliceareincahootswiththehardl

iners.Thesituationcontinuestoworsen.

http://www.economist.com/node/21556618

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MideastAsia