Inquisition in Indonesia

Inquisition in Indonesia

Civilians rampaging like wild elephants in the jungle,
trampling on the rights of the people; making kangaroo court
judgments on what people can think or say or do; condemning the
populace if they don't conform to narrow self-righteous mind
think; issuing dictums, or fatwas (religious instruction),
demanding that all must obey or face their wrath.

This is identical to the Inquisition of the Dark Ages and the
suppression of free thought by communist regimes. These people
say the government has a responsibility to do something against
apostasy. That means quashing freedom of thought and freedom of
speech. This goes directly against the Constitution and
Pancasila, and the United Nations Human Rights Accord, of which
Indonesia is a signatory.

The duty of the government is to arrest the leaders of these
violent groups for a number of crimes against the nation,
including disturbing the peace, assault and battery, destruction
of public and private property, and inciting public hatred, to
mention just a few. In addition, it is imperative that the
government declare these groups terrorist organizations and
summarily ban them.

And while they are at it, overturn the conviction of an
innocent man in Probolinngo, refute the regency ban on a
particular religion in Cianjur and reverse the judgment of the
three women in West Java.

It is the freedom of all the people that is at risk here. If
these religious thugs, vis-a-vis the Islamic Defenders Front
(FPI), and "anti-apostasy" groups are allowed to continue to have
their way, it will only embolden them and they will erode, nay,
destroy the power of the people and with it democracy.

For those who think that this is an internal problem, then be
informed that religion, human rights and terrorism cross all
borders; ask any Muslim, ask any human, ask any terrorist. Thus,
this is the responsibility of all citizens of this earth.

Therefore, Indonesia's home affairs minister, M. Maruf,
religious affairs minister, Maftuh Basyuni, justice and human
rights minister, Hamid Awaluddin, and President Susilo are called
upon to come down out of their ivory towers and properly address
these very serious issues, and not just ignore them as is usually
the case with the courage-challenged leadership here and hope
that they just go away, or leave them to the next administration.

BRIEN DOYLE
Jakarta