Bogor to Stage Interfaith Prayer for a More Tolerant 2016

Jakarta Globe, Vento Saudale, December 31, 2015

GKI Yasmin congregants have been unable to enter their church in Bogor,
despite a court order. (Antara Photo/Jafkhairi)

Bogor. In part of an effort to shake off its reputation for being the most intolerant city in Indonesia, the Bogor city government plans to include an interfaith prayer as well as a Koran reading in its New Year celebration.

The Koran reading is scheduled for Thursday at City Hall, while the interfaith prayer will take place on New Year's Day at the Expression Park in Central Bogor.

Mayor Bima Arya said he hopes both events will encourage residents to usher in 2016 with a more positive attitude.

Toto M. Ulum of the city's secretariat added: "The two events will give us the opportunity to pray for a better 2016, for both Bogor and the entire country."

Arifin Himawan, secretary general of Bogor's Interfaith Social Agency (Basolia), echoed Toto's sentiments, saying: "We want to start the new year with an interfaith prayer because we want Bogor to improve. We want to spotlight our city's beautiful diversity and tolerance."

Leading religious freedom watchdog the Setara Institute conducted a survey in 94 cities nationwide in November to identify Indonesia's least and most religiously tolerant regions. Results crowned Bogor as the nation's least tolerant city.

A satellite city south of Jakarta, Bogor scored 5.21 out of 7 in the tolerance scale (7 being the least tolerant), with researchers citing authorities’ long-running refusal to allow a Christian congregation into its church  as a clear example of the government condoning and even facilitating religious intolerance.

“Bogor continues to see so many instances of intolerance, with the government failing to respond accordingly. The same goes with the other nine cities [in the top 10],” Setara Institute deputy chairman Bonar Tigor Naipospos said in November.

Indonesia's most intolerant cities include Bekasi, on the eastern outskirts of Jakarta; Banda Aceh; Tangerang, just west of Jakarta; Depok, south of the capital; Bandung; Serang, Banten; Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara; and Sukabumi and Tasikmalaya in West Java.