Article 29 and religious harmony

Article 29 and religious harmony

The Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR)
has been concluded. Billions of rupiah were spent to organize
this event.

One of the heated debates in this Annual Session was about
Article 29 of the 1945 Constitution. A number of Islamic parties
proposed the amendment of this article by supplementing it with
words found in the Jakarta Charter. This proposal enjoyed the
support of Islamic organizations rallying outside the MPR
building, for example Hizbu Thahrir, the Islam Defenders Front
(FPI) and Hizbollah.

It has been recorded in history that the Indonesian people,
made up of various ethnic groups, religions and languages, have
agreed not to establish a state based upon religion and have made
Pancasila, the state ideology, the basic norm of the Indonesian
nation, a people believing in unity in diversity. Likewise, the
founding fathers of the Unitary State of the Republic of
Indonesia and the majority of the Indonesian people have agreed
not to establish a state based upon religion.

This agreement must be maintained in view of the great
pluralism of cultures and traditions in Indonesia. Incorporating
religion in a constitution is dangerous because it can lead to
national disintegration and trigger social conflicts.

So, all Indonesians must realize that they live side by side
with one another and that they must stay away from ideals that
could lead to national disintegration.

Religion and conviction are matters that an individual deals
directly with God. Clearly Article 29 of the 1945 Constitution is
a fixed agreement and fosters religious harmony within a
Pancasila-based unitary state, which must not be tinkered with
any more.

GUTOMO MAHENDRA

Malang, East Java