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Your letters: Bogor deemed most intolerant city
Intolerance: A number of members of a certain Islamic organization are involved in a violent clash with members of a Christian church in the Taman Jasmine Housing compound in Bogor, West Java
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Intolerance: A number of members of a certain Islamic organization are involved in a violent clash with members of a Christian church in the Taman Jasmine Housing compound in Bogor, West Java. The Muslim group was objecting to the construction of a church building in the housing area. According to a survey conducted by the Setara Institute, Bogor was found to be the most intolerant city in the country.(JP/DON) (JP/DON)
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span class="inline inline-center">Intolerance: A number of members of a certain Islamic organization are involved in a violent clash with members of a Christian church in the Taman Jasmine Housing compound in Bogor, West Java. The Muslim group was objecting to the construction of a church building in the housing area. According to a survey conducted by the Setara Institute, Bogor was found to be the most intolerant city in the country.(JP/DON)
On a wider canvas, Indonesia is intolerant of anything that is different. This intolerance, this insular thinking, manifests itself in a myriad of ways in society and in politics. It's there at the root of protectionist policies ' no land ownership by foreigners, no foreign doctors in Indonesian hospitals, Bahasa Indonesia requirements for foreign workers, tightened KITAS regulations, foreign multinationals such as Freeport that must divest more shares to Indonesians and so on and so forth.
It's there in chest-thumping nationalism ' burn those foreign fishing boats, execute those foreign drug smugglers, prosecute those British journalists, foreigners must be the main culprits for the slash-and-burn forest fires. And it's even there in eating habits. Where can we get Indonesian food? This was a question asked by a group of Indonesian senior managers after hardly a day in London on a sponsored study tour.
Wandering Star
Jakarta
It is no surprise that Bogor, with its Arab-dominated political and religious views, comes in as the worst province for tolerance in Indonesia, although I predict that Aceh will take them over soon enough. Until the central government gets tough on the radical groups and eliminates them, there will be no change.
Simaging
Jakarta
