Incitement to religious hate law sought<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A political and religious observer has
\nunderlined the need for an incitement to religious hatred law to
\ndeal with provocateurs in interreligious conflicts, who have so
\nfar managed to escape any legal sanction.<\/p>\n
Azyumardi Azra, rector of the Jakarta State Institute for
\nIslamic Studies (IAIN), said on Wednesday that the existing law
\nwas not sufficient to charge those who provoke interreligious
\nconflicts.<\/p>\n
The current law only gives a legal basis to charge anyone who
\ndoes something that offends people of other religions, he said.<\/p>\n
However, according to Azyumardi, what is considered offensive
\nfor some people does not automatically constitute a crime.<\/p>\n
\"This may be acceptable if someone has to give an opinion on
\nother religions as part of the religion teaching process in their
\nreligious community,\" Azyumardi told a discussion on religious
\nissues at the Habibie Centre.<\/p>\n
\"What we should watch out for is the possibility of anyone who
\nhas the intention to use the issue to provoke interreligious
\nconflicts,\" he added.<\/p>\n
He pointed out one case as an example. The Bandung Ulemas'
\nForum has recently reported two Jakarta-based Protestant priests
\nto the city police over their statements which are considered to
\nhave insulted Muslims.<\/p>\n
According to the forum, the two priests had said that the
\nMoslems' God was the hajar aswad, the black stone in front of the
\nKaaba holy shrine in Mecca, and that the divine revelations which
\nhad been received by Prophet Muhammad came from the devils.<\/p>\n
Azyumardi said the law should have been available as the legal
\nbasis for charging anyone who intended to use the priests'
\nstatements to provoke conflict between the two religions, instead
\nof charging the two priests themselves.<\/p>\n
He also said the prolonged conflicts between the Muslims and
\nthe Christians in Maluku was not due to any religious reason.<\/p>\n
\"It was caused by political reasons,\" he said, adding that the
\nlack of government concern on this matter had worsened the
\nsituation.<\/p>\n
Priest Nus Riemas earlier said that openness was badly needed
\nto prevent any interreligious conflict, especially in dealing
\nwith any effort to provoke the people.<\/p>\n
Former minister of justice Muladi, who also joined the
\ndiscussion, said the government is preparing an additional
\nchapter on religious offenses for the new Criminal Code.<\/p>\n
The existing law classifies a religious crime as a public
\norder violation, he added. (04)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/incitement-to-religious-hate-law-sought-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}