Government urged to lift decree on houses of worship

Government urged to lift decree on houses of worship

JAKARTA (JP): Religious figures have called on the government
to revoke a controversial joint ministerial decree which requires
a government permit before a mosque, church, temple or other
houses of worship can be constructed.

They charged it was against the 1945 Constitution, which
guarantees freedom of religion.

Hasballah Puteh, a Muslim intellectual from Aceh, maintained
that numerous sectarian conflicts over the last three years had
exploded because of discriminative treatment by Muslims against
minority groups.

"The SKB (joint ministerial decree), which was jointly issued
in 1976, must be revised because besides being against the
Constitution, it has been an acute disease that has inflicted
conflict between the Muslims and minority groups," he said in a
dialog between religious figures and youth organizations here on
Wednesday.

The three-day dialog, officially opened by Vice President
Megawati Soekarnoputri on Monday, was organized by the Indonesian
National Youth Committee (KNPI).

Hasballah, also a professor of Islamic studies at Syahkuala
University in Banda Aceh, admitted that the controversial decree
reflected Muslims' groundless overanxiety about Christian
communities in the country.

"Muslims should not be suspicious of Christian activities and
social charities because they are aimed at helping to better
people's social welfare and not at Christianizing Muslims," he
asserted.

"All religions, including Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism,
must be given an equal chance to grow in the country because they
are promoting brotherhood and love and are against violence," he
said.

Syaifuddin, a Muslim cleric from North Sumatra, concurred and
said religious figures should play their role in the promotion of
tolerance among religious communities.

"Muslim clerics should take a leading role in promoting
religious tolerance among Muslims, especially (by preaching it)
during Friday prayers in mosques. Their sermons which discredit
other beliefs will only sow hatred," he said.

He said the joint ministerial decree was discriminative as it
required a certain number of signatures from Muslims in the
community if a non-Muslim wished to build a house of worship
there.

On the other hand, Syaifuddin remarked, most mosques were
built without a formal permit from the government.

Rev. Armien A. Rere from the Southeast Protestant Church
agreed. He said all religious communities should accept
Indonesia's pluralist society.

"It must be nationally accepted if we are committed to
maintaining our national identity," he said.

He called on all sides not to be influenced by sensitive
issues that could lead to open sectarian conflict.

"We should not sharpen differences but promote human
brotherhood because no religion teaches or supports violence and
discrimination," he said.

Armien said the recent sectarian violence in Poso, Central
Sulawesi, was not triggered by conflicts between Muslims and
Christians but by provocative actions by a third party outside
the province.

Ida Bagus Gde Yudha Triguna, a Hindu figure in Bali, said it
was urgent for clerics and religious institutions to improve
people's awareness of different religions in Indonesia.

"Interreligious dialog should be intensified while students in
schools and universities should be encouraged to share knowledge
about religions," he said.

Adhiyaksa, KNPI chairman, said the committee along with the
religious figures had recommended a number of action plans during
the three-day dialog to promote religious harmony.

"KNPI in cooperation with youth organizations, the government,
informal leaders and religious figures will introduce
reconciliatory programs, including dialog and joint charity
activities among religious institutions in 14 provinces prone to
sectarian conflicts -- in Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Maluku and
Sulawesi," he said. (rms)