Religiously based parties<\/p>\n
I much appreciated Lance Castles' article Voting pattern may
\nchange in your March 22 edition and was encouraged to learn that
\nthe Netherlands is no longer a religiously polarized society.
\nHowever, I feel that Indonesia is sailing toward the stormy
\nwaters of religious politics rather than away from them, and this
\nraises a number of concerns.<\/p>\n
From a religious perspective, there is the danger that
\nreligious symbols and ceremonies will be abused as tools of
\npersonal ambition. From a political perspective, there are
\nseveral hazards for democracy.<\/p>\n
One is the tendency of extremism. This can be seen in the
\nHindu party of India, the Jewish parties of Israel and the
\nChristian fundamentalist lobby in the United States. Core values
\nlike tolerance, compassion and self discipline are common to all
\nreligions and most political parties. So parties seeking support
\namong devotees of only one religion tend to emphasize superficial
\ndifferences rather than shared foundations and pursue social and
\ncultural privileges for members of their particular religion.
\nWhether they exercise power as a majority party, a minority party
\nor merely as a pressure group, they encourage the idea that there
\nare first-class citizens and the rest, and this idea is inimical
\nto justice.<\/p>\n
A second danger is to freedom of speech. Many religious people
\ndo not respond to criticism with reason and argument. They prefer
\nto cry that their religion is being insulted. This hinders
\nrational discussion of any policies which are claimed to be
\nreligiously motivated. In countries like Iran, any criticism of
\nthe government's policy or its leaders can be dismissed or
\nsuppressed as an attack on the national religious ideology, much
\nas criticism of Soeharto was twisted into an attack on Pancasila.<\/p>\n
A third danger is that of sectarianism. This can undermine
\ndemocracy through instability and also through a monopoly of
\npower. The Shona supported ZANU party in Zimbabwe and the United
\nMalay National Organization in Malaysia, have won every election
\nsince independence. Voters belonging to the ethnic majority are
\nreluctant to support the opposition, which is identified with
\nother ethnic groups, while political alternatives from within the
\nethnic majority are stifled by the need to preserve the status
\nquo.<\/p>\n
JOHN HARGREAVES<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/religiously-based-parties-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }