On blasphemy, bigotry, and religious bias in Indonesia
“Religious wars are not caused by the fact that there is more than one religion, but by the spirit of intolerance… the spread of which can only be regarded as the total eclipse of human reason.” — Charles Montesquieu
Ever since the trial and conviction of a 44-year-old woman on the grounds of blasphemy, I’ve wondered whether Indonesia’s socio-political progress post-1998 has been an illusion. On July 22, 2016, Meliana, a Buddhist Indonesian of Chinese descent, complained to her neighbor about the volume of a nearby mosque. Charges were quickly filed against her by outraged followers of the faith as well as mosque staff members who claimed Meliana was being disrespectful. After two years of trial, the court finally ruled her guilty and she was sentenced to 1.5 years of imprisonment.
While the case possessed little to no concrete evidence, Meliana’s remarks were twisted far enough to evoke riots at her doorstep several days following the complaint, with rumors circulating that a Chinese woman wanted to “ban adzan”, the Islamic call to worship. Consequently, the groups offended by Meliana’s alleged insolence towards Islam retaliated by setting fire to fourteen Buddhist temples in Tanjungbalai, eerily resembling the anti-Chinese riots of 1998, where a temple and two churches met the same fate.
Compared to Meliana’s 18-month sentence, the protestors who burned down the temples only received 1–4 months of imprisonment, despite estimates of the damage ranging well into the billions of rupiahs.
Though disappointing, it isn’t too much of a surprise that a country built on the basis of religious contradiction would exhibit bias towards religious and ethnic minorities. The constitution allows freedom of religion, yet only six are officially recognized: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism— followers of unsanctioned religions are left legally vulnerable with no protection of their rights. Moreover, some of the religions mentioned are polytheistic with beliefs rooted in animism, thus challenging the first principle of the Pancasila which states “Ketuhanan yang Maha Esa” (Belief in the one and only God).
As the largest Muslim country, the pervasive influence of Muslim hard-liners and religious groups will no doubt impact the outcomes of policy and decision-making in Indonesia. Even if we disregarded the effect of mass action on politics, it is virtually impossible for all religions to fit within the confines of the constitution and the Pancasila, therefore creating a political landscape that favors Islam by default.
Despite the backdrop of favoritism and bias, there isn’t a single excuse I can imagine that justifies bigoted behavior, nor is there any excuse for those who condone it.
Indonesia, my home for the last 16 years and a country I hold close to my heart, is going up in flames (figuratively and literally). I will not sit back and watch as it is plagued by rampant extremism, ignorance, and intolerance. With the persecution of citizens over noise complaints, the destruction of religious structures, and widespread discrimination against minorities, I find myself walking a thin line between love for my country and absolute hatred towards what it’s become. We are moving backwards— it is our responsibility to uphold a righteous democracy; an Indonesia that not only endorses “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika”, or “Unity in Diversity” but defends it at all cost, regardless of race, religion or ethnicity.
