T

he planned Koran burning initiated by Florida Evangelist Church leader Terry Jones has been canceled. Previously, Jones and his followers had been planning to burn the holy book of Islam to commemorate the Sept. 11 tragedy.

This “insane” plan stirred up massive reactions from Muslims around the globe, including the Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY).

SBY sent an official letter to President Barack Obama requesting the Koran “BBQ” be canceled. SBY reminded Obama that the incident would affect world peace.

In his letter, SBY aimed to point out that Indonesian Christians did not share Terry Jones’ sentiments. What a wise president.

Not long after it was announced that the Koran-burning was canceled, an incident occurred in which two leaders of a Batak Protestant Church (HKBP) in Bekasi, West Java, Hasian Lumbantoruan Sihombing and Rev. Luspida Simanjuntak, were attacked by assailants.

The police are still investigating the case. Unfortunately, Jakarta Police Chief Timur Pradopo hastily concluded that the case was a purely criminal act devoid of any religious sentiment.

His statement was challenged by Indonesian Communion of Churches chairman Rev. Andreas A. Yewangoe, who deplored the police general’s statement. Andreas said Timur had arrived at the conclusion too hastily and before conducting a thorough investigation.

A similar argument came from senior lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis, who said the stabbing of the HKBP priest was not an ordinary criminal act. The incident probably has the potential to threaten the freedom to worship.

President SBY was extremely proactive when dealing with the Terry Jones threat, but how about the HKBP attacks and other similar violent cases carried out in the name of religion in Indonesia? Did SBY feel the same? The burning of the Koran cannot be justified in any way.

This act would have indirectly hurt other communities, in this case: Muslims. The very same feeling was also experienced by followers of the Ahmadiyah sect and the HKBP congregation in Indonesia, who constantly face violence and intimidation from the communities around them. As a result, they have become traumatized.

What the religious extremists did in Indonesia was very similar to what Terry Jones never got around to doing. Although Terry Jones only planned the burning of Koran, violent acts have happened so many times in Indonesia. According to Setara Institute, an NGO, in 2009 alone there were 200 cases of violations of freedom of faith comprising 291 incidents in Indonesia.

Those were criminal acts that involved the state as a minor player. The followers of the Ahmadiyah sect have suffered the greatest number of violations of all religious groups in the country.

It has on 33 occasions been the victim of religious violations, many of them violent — including the burning down of their place of worship and being denied the right to worship. The HKBP church in Bekasi has suffered similar treatment.

These facts, along with the absence of a legal process, are evidence that the Indonesian government systematically allowed acts of religious violence to occur. The instigators of this violence, including the FPI (Islam Defenders Front) and other similar organizations are apparently protected by the government, while Terry Jones was heavily pressurized by President Barack Obama’s administration.

One of the impositions affecting freedom of religion is the Religious Affairs Ministry’s and the Home Ministry’s Joint Decrees (SKB) No. 9/2006 and No. 8/2006 on the establishment of places of worship.

This SKB has ignited violent and discriminative acts aimed at religious minorities looking to establish new places of worship. The decree makes it hard to obtain a permit to build a house of worship and has paved the way for the government and communities to blackmail minority groups.

In addition, Ahmadiyah followers are discriminated against by three joint ministerial decrees about worshiping and proselytizing.

Even incumbent Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali voiced his plan to dissolve Ahmadiyah after this year’s Idul Fitri holiday. Prominent Catholic figure Romo Franz Magniz-Suseno called Suryadharma’s statement a disgrace.

Eva K. Sundari, a legislator, suggested the withdrawal of the SKBs on the establishment of places of worship and Ahmadiyah. Her suggestion constitutes the right thing to do for SBY’s government.

Terry Jones’ hatred of Islam was reflected in his plan to burn the Koran, and Suryadharma Ali’s hatred of Ahmadiyah is reflected in his desire to dissolve the sect.

It is ironic because President SBY promptly sent a letter to Obama about the Koran burning, but at home he appears to be ignorant of the violent acts that have happened so many times in his own backyard.

The government does not seem to care about what has happened recently.

If Terry Jones’ plan to burn the Koran was just an empty threat, and SBY’s sacrificing of the HKBP church in Bekasi and Ahmadiyah is done just to protect his regime, then SBY is more heartless than Terry Jones!

The writer is a pluralism activist and the Founder of Aliansi Sumut Bersatu (ASB) in Jakarta.