Welcome Guest   |  Login   |   Signup
JG Logo
Sat, May 26, 2012
Archive Search

Yasmin Dispute Not My Problem, Religion Minister Says
Ezra Sihite & Farouk Arnaz | January 26, 2012

Religious Minister Suryadharma Ali has said decrees on Ahmadiyah and places of worship are enough to maintain religious tolerance in Indonesia. (Antara Photo) Religious Minister Suryadharma Ali has said decrees on Ahmadiyah and places of worship are enough to maintain religious tolerance in Indonesia. (Antara Photo)
Share This Page
11
61
0
17
Share with google+ :


Post a comment
Please login to post comment

Comments

AlexBrehm
9:17am Jan 30, 2012

Ridiculous what kind of ministers in Indonesia! They do not know about their duty. I want to have such a job - so i am responsible for nothing an get a good salary.

masmon2
12:40pm Jan 27, 2012

Comello, you make a very good point.

Those in power, be it the political parties, police, army etc have traditionally been linked with mass groups / organisations many of which have violent tendencies. These groups have always sought patronage from those in power so that their activities (many of which are illegal) could go unchecked.

For anyone interested check out this paper written by Loren Ryter and titled "Youth Gangs and Otherwise in Indonesia"

http://graduateinstitute.ch/webdav/site/ccdp/shared/5039/Ryter-youth-gangs-and-otherwise-in-indonesia.pdf

It provides a fascinating background as to why these groups/gangs have been allowed to exist and flourish. It also provides the all important answer to the question, why.

Comello
10:27am Jan 27, 2012

I beg to differ: Indonesia has always been plagued by sectarian division and violence.

Divide et Empera was always a useful method in colonial days and nothing has changed.

In 1945, ultra-muslims made sectarian demands re the text of the constitution. The risk of non-muslim secession finally made Hatta change the syariah content of Pancasila. After that, the 1950's saw radical muslims rebel in W-Java and other places.

In 1965/66, Soeharto and his jolly generals unleashed muslim militants who did much of the slaughtering.

After that, Soeharto kept a lid on muslim radicalism, unless it fitted his political agenda of the day.

In 1998, many muslim organisations (except Amien Rais' group) were sitting on the fence until Soeharto finally resigned, but were very quick to make claims after the dirty work had been done.

The elite then used the rent-a-mobs to keep the more progressive reformists at bay. Trucked-in kampungan muslims were send to Parliament to intimidate the protesters there.

padt
10:12am Jan 27, 2012

jcay - part of the problem why Indonesian social order is breaking down and may soon be out of control is because - as the saying goes - 'a fish rots from it's head down'.

The politicians and officials here are largely distracted from their primary task - which is to improve the lot of Indonesians through just and transparent govenance.

Instead they are constantly distracted: their main task as they see it is governance which results not in the well being of others, but rather it is to get as much personal wealth for themselves, their rotten families and disgusting, snivelling cronies.

Meanwhile, nature abhores a vacuum - the mobs are rising to the service in the political space the politicians have created.

Of course what will happen is that the mobs, when it suits them, will turn on the politicians too. And then the mobs will turn on each other and some will fight their way to the top - and it will all start again - the grab for power and money.

What wont change is the mentality.


marko1
9:48am Jan 27, 2012

Meanwhile SBY still wont do a cabinet resuffle... As he sees nothing wrong or is on side with Radicals but wears a suit.

Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali said on Wednesday that the GKI Yasmin church dispute did not come under his jurisdiction, insisting that since it involved a building permit, it was the responsibility of the Home Affairs Ministry.

“The Yasmin problem is a legal matter and legal conflicts should be settled by law,” the minister said.

He added that he did not want the conflict to be linked to religion and the ministry would offer no further comment.

“This case will be settled by the mayor, and if he is not able, then by the governor and finally by the Home Affairs Ministry,” Suryadharma said.

He said his ministry had approached the Yasmin congregation and offered a new location for its church but had that offer turned down. He suggested it reconsider.

The GKI Yasmin church has been illegally sealed off by the Bogor city administration on the pretext that the congregation doctored a petition needed to obtain a building permit.

Since 2008, the congregation has been forced to hold Sunday services on the sidewalk outside the church or in the homes of parishioners.

On Wednesday, the GKI Yasmin congregation, joined by the Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (Unity in Diversity) Forum, came to the National Police headquarters to seek protection so their Sunday worship could proceed smoothly.

“From early on during our Sunday worship, there were some 1,000 policemen on guard, in full uniform with a water cannon. But they did nothing,” forum coordinator Mangapul Silalahi said.

The police, he said, stood by when members of the hard-line Indonesian Muslim Communication Forum (Forkami) and Islamic Reform Movement (Garis) groups brandished wood and bamboo sticks and came close to injuring lawmakers who were among the members of the congregation.

“Our visit today is to meet with the National Police chief and the chief of detectives to ask them why this is happening. This instance of allowing things to happen did not only occur yesterday,” Mangapul said. “It has taken place repeatedly.”

He also said they came to seek protection in their worship, as guaranteed by the constitution.

Jayadi Damanik, legal counsel for GKI Yasmin, said it had visited the Bogor Police deputy chief to demand firm action to safeguard its worship activities but nothing had changed.

“If we cannot [worship] in church, on the sidewalk or inside a home, just kill us so that we can be buried,” Jayadi said.