Avoid intervention in religion: ICRP

Avoid intervention in religion: ICRP

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Conference on Religion and Peace (ICRP) issued
a "moral political contract" on Wednesday, urging presidential
candidates, if elected, not to intervene in religious affairs and
not to discriminate against any particular religion.

"We will soon send the contract to the presidential
candidates," ICRP president Djohan Effendi said after opening a
two-day workshop titled "Building a new moral political
contract". It follows similar talks in Jakarta; Medan, North
Sumatra; Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara; Manado, North Sulawesi, and
Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan.

Speakers included sociologist Francisia Seda. The talks are
being held by ICRP and the Society for Interreligious Dialog
(Madia) with the Partnership for Governance in Indonesia.

Djohan, a noted scholar on Islam, also said the new president
should not endorse the bill on religious harmony as it was viewed
as state intervention in religious affairs.

Building a new moral political contract is the most urgent
activity aimed at democratization, a media release from the
workshop said, "which can serve as a foundation on which to build
our destroyed political civilization".

The contract would not only involve the presidential
candidates but also religious leaders and their communities,
which would need the "civil courage" to enforce the contract
aimed at appreciating the plurality of faiths and religions in
the country. This could "serve as a foundation for the creation
of good, responsible governance," the release said.

The "moral political contract", among other things, obliges
the new president to "settle past human rights violations" in
accordance with the law and revoke all discriminatory policies
regarding religion. It should, instead, recognize all religions
and faiths, and the Ministry of Religious Affairs should focus on
policies protecting all groups.

The new president must also guarantee civil rights, the
contract says.