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Yudhoyono deserves religious freedom award: Kalla
Former vice president Jusuf Kalla said that, in spite of his flawed performance, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono deserved the World Statesmen Award from New York-based interfaith organization the Appeal of Conscience Foundation (ACF)
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ormer vice president Jusuf Kalla said that, in spite of his flawed performance, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono deserved the World Statesmen Award from New York-based interfaith organization the Appeal of Conscience Foundation (ACF).
Kalla, the current chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), said the award was more than an acknowledgment of Yudhoyono's achievement; it was in fact recognition of the country's pluralism.
'This award is for the whole nation; this country remains plural in spite of cases of intolerance,' Kalla said, as quoted by kompas.com.
Late last week, in the face of protest from rights groups and activists Yudhoyono accepted the World Statesmen Award for his efforts to promote religious freedom in the country.
In his speech prior to receiving the award, Yudhoyono admitted that Indonesia still faced problems including 'intolerance, communal conflict and radicalism'.
Yudhoyono then vowed to maintain harmony in society and address incidents of religious intolerance.
The President also promised he would 'make sure that those who violate the rights of others will face the arms of justice'.
The Wahid Institute, which promotes pluralism and peaceful Islam, reported that incidents of religious intolerance have increased steadily over the past four years.
The report showed religious intolerance cases in 2012 stood at 274, up from 267 in 2011. In 2010, the institute recorded 184 cases and 121 cases in 2009.
One minority group, often a subject of harassment, is the Shia community from Sampang, Madura, East Java. Members of the community were forced out of their homes and now live in a temporary camp after the majority Sunnis burned their houses and killed two in August.
Ten members of the community on Sunday highlighted their plight and rode bicycles from Surabaya, the capital city of East Java, to the State Palace in Central Jakarta.
'These Shia followers will leave for Jakarta to seek protection [...] We expect them to arrive in Jakarta by June 17,' rights activist Muhammad Khatib of the Universalia Legal Aid Institute said, as quoted by tribunnews.com.
Khatib said the trip would represent the resentment felt by the community to the ACF award.
'Members of the Shia community are proud that the President got the award. But the timing is not right. There are still so many religious conflicts here,' Khatib said.
