Greater Religious Freedom Thanks to Elections, Watchdog Says

Jakarta Globe, Dina Manafe, Aug 11, 2014

Members of the Ahmadiyah congregation in Ciamis, West Java, were forced to pray
 outside their Nur Khilafat mosque after the public order agency sealed the building
in June. (Photo courtesy of Indonesian Ahmadiyah Congregation)

Jakarta. The number of violations of religious freedom in Indonesia has decreased dramatically in the first half of the year, a watchdog said on Monday, adding however that the drop was due only to a greater focus on elections, instead of sectarian politics.

Ismail Hasani, research director of the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace, said in a press conference that there had been 60 cases of religious rights violations in the first half of 2014, in 17  provinces, which marks a significant decrease from 122 cases in the first half of 2013 and 120 in the same period in 2012.

West Java was mentioned most often, with 19 cases, followed by Central Java and East Java, with ten cases each.

Ismail said that government officials, including police officers, were the main perpetrators in some cases. “There were 30 violations that involved government officials by commission or by omission,” Ismail said.

Some of the cases also involved religious groups, he added, such as the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and the Islamic People’s Forum (FUI). In most cases, the victims were religious minority groups, like Christians, Shiites and the controversial Muslim sect Ahmadiyah.

Setara said the decrease in the number of reported violations was not the result of better government policy aimed at protecting religious freedom, but because of the legislative and presidential elections held this year.

“There is a sort of convention during this political season under which all respective parties refrain from taking any counterproductive action, so as not to tarnish the political image of [their] candidate,” Ismail said about organizations linked to those running in elections.

Bonar Tigor Naipospos, Setara’s deputy chairman, said the outgoing administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono can still make a difference.

“Even though he has only a limited number of days left [before president-elect Joko Widodo takes over from Yudhoyono in October], [Religious Affairs Minister] Lukman Hakim [Saifuddin] should take  constructive steps to ensure his own legacy and that of his ministry,” Bonar said, citing the example of the Ahmadiyah community still staying in Mataram, Lombok, under primitive conditions after being driven from their homes elsewhere on the island in 2006.

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"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems  (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it),  Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse),  Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

“… New Tolerance

Look for a softening of finger pointing and an awakening of new tolerance. There will remain many systems for different cultures, as traditions and history are important to sustaining the integrity of culture. So there are many in the Middle East who would follow the prophet and they will continue, but with an increase of awareness. It will be the increase of awareness of what the prophet really wanted all along - unity and tolerance. The angel in the cave instructed him to "unify the tribes and give them the God of Israel." You're going to start seeing a softening of intolerance and the beginning of a new way of being.

Eventually, this will create an acknowledgement that says, "You may not believe the way we believe, but we honor you and your God. We honor our prophet and we will love you according to his teachings. We don't have to agree in order to love." How would you like that? The earth is not going to turn into one belief system. It never will, for Humans don't do that. There must be variety, and there must be the beauty of cultural differences. But the systems will slowly update themselves with increased awareness of the truth of a new kind of balance. So that's the first thing. Watch for these changes, dear ones.  …”