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Your letters: Restricting the Shia
An Anti-Shia Declaration was held on April 20 in Bandung
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n Anti-Shia Declaration was held on April 20 in Bandung. The event, which was attended by more than 1,000 people, declared four points that highlighted the restriction of expansion of Shia beliefs. Although it was clearly seen that the declaration offended a party and had real potential to trigger a dispute, the police did nothing to halt the declaration as a way to express tolerance of Shiites who have been discriminated for years because of their beliefs.
Almost every day there is news of discrimination against Shiites. And the effect of the discrimination is astounding. Shiites can no longer work, the children cannot attend school and they no longer have homes because their houses were burned down or they were expelled from their neighborhood. Many Shiites even have to find refuge in other provinces and have no guarantee that they can return to their hometowns. The government has done some things to make a peaceful and tolerant condition for Shiites but it does not change much.
So, I think it can be said that the declaration is the tip of the iceberg of hatred and disapproval toward Shia teaching.
All of these facts make me think: Why Shia's opponents have to use inhumane ways to convince Shiites that their belief is not in accordance to the Islam's teaching? Will violence open their eyes and heart to the ' what they say ' true teaching of Islam?
In the end, some of the Shiites did convert to Sunni beliefs, which are considered to be in accordance with Islam's teaching. But is that reflecting their heart? Or are they doing that just to avoid more severe discrimination to be able to live a 'normal' life?
Personally, I can't say whether the Shia faith is right or wrong. However, I do believe that what Shiites are experiencing is inhumane and a violation of human rights, Pancasila and our 1945 Constitution. Every man is free to embrace the religion and worship according to his religion. Nobody should experience such discrimination because of what they believe. This is also true with other minorities in Indonesia.
Devenni Putri Fau
Jakarta
