Indonesia remains 'tolerant country' despite FPI attack

Harry Bhaskara ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Thu, 06/12/2008 10:18 AM  |  Headlines

A prominent Catholic priest said Wednesday that the June 1 attack by Muslim hard-liners on a peaceful rally in Jakarta could lead to global misperceptions about Islam in Indonesia.

"The whole world gets the impression that this is Indonesian Islam. But this is nonsense," Franz Magnis-Suseno said during a discussion in Jakarta.

He described these misperceptions as "deep trouble" for the Indonesian government.

On June 1, members of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI), armed with bamboo sticks, beat and kicked activists of the National Alliance for the Freedom of Faith and Religion. Some 70 people were injured in the attack.

Alliance members had earlier taken out ads in newspapers saying they endorsed pluralism, and urging people not to be intimidated by those who opposed religious freedom.

"We are fine. There is no problem in Indonesia. Even changing religion from Islam to another religion is possible. It is a very substantial thing," Franz told the discussion, hosted by the Center for Islam and State Studies at Paramadina University.

He pointed out that 10 percent of the population was Christian.

"There are some difficulties, certainly, but they can be sorted out," said Franz, who is rector of the Driyarkara School of Philosophy.

"There is no general hatred against the minority. There are Indonesian people out in the open using the political opening after the fall of Soeharto, and ordinary people's suspicion of others has been growing," he said.

He did acknowledge the June 1 attack indicated that danger was lurking.

"The government is paralyzed by a fear of being perceived as anti-Islam or pro-Islam," he said.

He disagreed with the commonly held view that Indonesia is at a crossroad.

He said Indonesia still adhered to plurality, tolerance and the state ideology Pancasila.

Franz urged people actively to work toward making Indonesia's young democracy a success.

"I am optimistic but it is necessary to acknowledge the danger of passivism. You have to do something about it," he said.

Ninuk Mardiana Pambudy, a journalist with Kompas daily, told the discussion the attack showed that Indonesia was a society unable to handle its own conflicts.

The discussion was held to mark the centennial commemoration of Indonesia's national awakening, the 1,000th day anniversary of the death of respected Muslim scholar Nurcholish "Cak Nur" Madjid and the 10th anniversary of the political reform era.

Nadya Madjid, the daughter of Cak Nur, used the discussion to announce the establishment of the Nurcholish Madjid Society.

She recalled how her father once told her that Islam in Indonesia was very young compared to Islam in India.

"Islam in Indonesia is still undergoing puberty. It's still a teenager who is searching for its identity, not as a lifestyle as yet, but as fashion, music, literature and film, the way we do during puberty, but this is not an excuse for the attack," she said.

Nadya said that in the early days of Indonesia, Islam was used as a weapon against the Dutch colonial government.

"Maybe these people in the FPI are still holding on to their Islamic identity, not Indonesian identity. They are first Muslims then Indonesian, which is dangerous for the sovereignty of the country," she said.

"Indonesian Muslims have to learn about Islamic life in other countries by going out of Indonesia," said Nadya, who lives in the United States.

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