Human Rights Minister Denies West Java's Intolerance, Cites Single Case

Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai has rejected assessments labelling West Java as one of Indonesia’s provinces with the highest levels of intolerance. Pigai conveyed this during a working meeting with Commission XIII of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, 7 April 2026.

He stated that he has lived in Depok, West Java, for more than two decades and has not encountered any cases of religious-based sealing or violence. “That is just a long-standing negative opinion, as if West Java is intolerant,” said Pigai.

According to him, based on experience, monitoring, and research, only one case of religious intolerance has been recorded in West Java. However, he noted, the prevailing narrative steers public opinion as though the region led by Governor Dedi Mulyadi has high levels of intolerance. “Just one case emerges and it’s considered extraordinary,” Pigai remarked.

He explained that, viewed on a broader spectrum, religious-based intolerance cases frequently occur in areas with minority religious groups. For instance, Muslims in eastern Indonesia, said Pigai, face a high potential of becoming victims of intolerance due to their position and status as a minority group.

A report released by the SETARA Institute in March placed West Java as the province with the highest number of religious-based violence cases compared to other regions. There were 56 such cases in the Pasundan land.

SETARA Institute researcher on Freedom of Religion/Belief, Harkitkan Kaur, stated that the high number of religious-based violence cases in West Java is caused by the dominance of intolerant groups perpetuating majoritarian practices. “This practice limits the freedom of minority religious citizens, including their expression,” said Kaur on Tuesday, 10 March 2026.

Some examples of intolerant cases in West Java include the destruction of a prayer house building in Sukabumi used for retreats in 2025, as well as the sealing of the GKPS Church in Purwakarta by local authorities on grounds of illegal construction.