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Issue of the day: Religious intolerance officially goes up a notch
Dec
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D
ec. 2, p2
Brace yourself to see more discrimination and persecution of religious minorities in Indonesia, after the House of Representatives formally re-endorsed a law limiting the number of religions recognized by the state to only six.
While this policy has been in place since the 1950s, last week's amendment of the 2004 Civil Administration Law takes place at a time when religious intolerance is on the rise.
Article 64 of the law retains the requirement that religious affiliation be declared on your ID card.
The choice is between Islam, Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism or Confucianism. Otherwise, you can state 'other'. (By Endy Bayuni, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta)
Your comments:
The House of Representatives is overflowing with incapable people. Intelligent people wouldn't worry about what uneducated radical groups say about them.
X Simaging
How about a lack of freedom of religion?
Dunder Duck
They should just take religion off the ID card. It's private anyway and nobody's business.
JB Nor
This summarizes the biased and bigoted attitudes of the so-called lawmakers. It further elucidates the incongruities and hypocrisies written in the Constitution.
I would hope that as an editorial by a major newspaper with an international readership that it would be more pointed, in fact take on an accusatory tone to create greater momentum against the illegal and discriminatory behavior of a government that is taking great strides in a direction away from democracy and freedom, and going backwards toward an
autocratic theocracy.
Mr. Bayuni, gather up your troops. Indonesia needs proper ethical guidance.
Brien
I think hypocritical religious people are found in all countries.
Nate
Let's look on the bright side. It's fantastic to read these sorts of articles in the Indonesian media.
Udang
The Constitution imposes religious intolerance. Indonesia will be like this forever unless the Constitution changes.
Nirvana
What if you're not affiliated with any religion?
Would that declaration be accepted?
Eddy Saf
