Attacks on Religious Freedom

Media Release

Sydney, 24th February 2011

The horrific image of the killing of three followers of the Ahmadiyah, an Islamic sect on 6th February in Banten (West Java) and the attack on a church in Temanggung (Central Java) on 8th February 2011 highlight religious intolerance, and the failure of democratic government under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to protect minority groups in Indonesia. Although the security apparatuses knew these accidents were going to happen, there were not able to prevent these calamities.

The Setara Institute for Peace and Democracy, a human rights group, says attacks on religious freedom by hardliners are steadily increasing. It says in 2010 there were 64 incidents, up from 18 in 2009 and 17 in 2008.

Whereas the National Police Chief Gen. Timur Pradopo was a founding member of the FPI (Front Pembela Islam or the Islamic Defender Front) in 1998 and attended the anniversary celebrations of FPI in 2010. FPI is a hard-line Islamic group in Indonesia well known for their violent acts. Tempo magazine on 21st February 2011 reported that some high ranking Indonesian police assist FPI with money and logistics. Meanwhile there is strong cooperation between Australian and Indonesian police, and the Labour government strongly argues that funding Islamic schools is critically important to eliminate Islamic hardline education in Indonesia.

Mr Andreas Harsono is Human Rights Watch (HRW) representative in Indonesia, a member of the International Consortium for Investigative Journalists. Mr Harsono is currently investigating the religious freedom, especially Ahmadiyah.

Mr Harsono is in Sydney and Canberra from 23rd February to 2nd March, he is going to meet some the government officials and members of Federal Parliament and he will talk at Amnesty International in Sydney on 24th February.

ENDS

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