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Cases of hate against religious minorities rampant in 2013

There were at least six alleged violations of religious freedom and seven cases of religious intolerance committed across Central Java in the period of 2012 to 2013, researchers say

Ainur Rohmah (The Jakarta Post)
Semarang
Sat, December 21, 2013

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Cases of hate against religious minorities rampant in 2013

T

here were at least six alleged violations of religious freedom and seven cases of religious intolerance committed across Central Java in the period of 2012 to 2013, researchers say.

Teddy Kholiluddin, a researcher at the Religious and Social Study Institute (eLSA) in Semarang, Central Java, said that the six violation cases included the ban on the establishment of a Ahmadiyah house of worship in Boyolali; a ban on the development of a rectory in Klaten; the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) conflict in Kendal; and the demolition of an Islamic boarding school in Sragen.

'€œA man called Suparno was murdered in December last year for converting to another religion,'€ Teddy said.

Religious intolerance cases included efforts to disrupt Christmas celebrations; accusations that the teachings of Jamaatul Islamiyah in Karanganyar and the teachings of Mbah Surodari in Brebes were deviant; and the ban on Majelis Tafsir Al-Qur'€™an (MTA) in Grobogan.

He also noticed although there was a new model of conflict such as hate crime, 90 percent of the cases occurred in Central Java were repetitions of old conflict patterns.

'€œSuparno'€™s murder so far was a shocking case of a new pattern of conflict in the province,'€ Teddy said.

Teddy said that there had been a decrease in instances of religious intolerance and violations against religious freedom.

'€œRepeat incidents continue to occur. We should detect them as early as possible,'€ he said.

Separately, Semarang Legal Aid Institute (LBH) said 10 religious-related incidents occurred across the
province in 2012.

Among those in conflict were the Tauhid Indonesia Foundation (Yatain) in Surakarta and Karanganyar with Laskar Umat Islam Surakarta (LUIS).

Conflicts, Andiyono of Semarang LBH, went on, had occurred between local administrations and minorities, for example, the children of Saminists, also known as Sedulur Sikep, in Kudus, were told Islamic studies at school was compulsory. Saminists do not believe in the existence of Allah, heaven or hell.

Other conflicts include the ongoing refusal by locals for the establishment of a workshop by the followers of Sapta Darma in Rembang. Sapta Darma is a school of mysticism, which literally means seven (sapta) sacred obligations (dharma); the burning of an Islamic boarding school in Sragen; and a brawl between locals and the FPI in Kendal.

According to Semarang LBH, three potentials for conflict had been identified: The judgement that particular sects were deviant; the establishment of houses of worship; and social conflict.

Indonesian laws and the Constitution guarantee freedom of religion and faith as well as human rights.

'€œThe legal umbrella is there. It'€™s now a matter of how the government upholds and functions the umbrella,'€ Andiyono said.

Despite the rampant cases of religious intolerance, Teddy said that there were also aspects that should be lauded, including the reopening of the Gereja Injili di Tanah Jawa (GITJ) church in Jepara after 12 years.

Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo is committed to not issuing regulation on the banning of Ahmadiyah, while Wonosobo Regent Kholiq Arief has also made a commitment to ensure pluralism in his region.

Teddy also noted that Shia communities were able to celebrate Ashura Day solemnly.

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