Intolerance is still high

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Despite the general rejection of violent acts carried out in the name of Islam, a large percentage of Indonesians were not tolerant toward people of different faiths, a survey revealed on Thursday.

"Forty-nine percent of respondents staunchly oppose the building of church in a predominantly Muslim neighborhood," said the survey jointly conducted by the Freedom Institute, the Liberal Islam Network and the Center for Islamic and Community Studies (PPIM) of the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University (UIN).

It also found that 40.8 percent of Muslim respondents were wary about Christians conducting services in a majority Muslim neighborhood.

However, respondents showed little resistance about the possibility of Christians teaching at public schools. "Only 24.8 percent of respondents opposed such a possibility," it said.

The survey found that in general, Muslims oppose the radical interpretation of Islamic teachings as espoused by hard-line groups that promote violence as a means to achieve their goals.

It said the rate of approval for actions taken by radical groups like the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI) and regional terror network Jamaah Islamiyah (JI) was considerably low.

"Of the 41.8 percent of respondents who are knowledgeable about Jamaah Islamiyah, only 13.4 percent of them supported the organization's aims. For the Islamic Defenders Front, of 37.6 percent of respondents who know about the organization, 18.1 percent approved their actions," the survey said.

The survey interviewed 1,200 respondents in the country's 32 provinces between Nov. 1 and Nov. 3, and has a 3 percent margin of error.

JI has been blamed for a string of terror attacks across the country since 2000, including the Oct. 12, 2002 Bali bombing and the attack on the JW Marriott Hotel on Aug. 5, 2003.

The FPI is notorious for its raids against Jakarta's nightspots, especially during the Ramadhan fasting month, claiming that such venues promoted sinful acts that tarnished the holy month. The MMI is a radical Islamic group once led by cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir.

The survey also discovered that only 15.9 percent of respondents supported the terror attacks allegedly carried out by top terror suspect Noordin Moh. Top, Azahari bin Husin and convicted Bali bombers Imam Samudra and Amrozi.

"Fifty-nine percent of the respondents disagreed with the attacks, while another 25.2 percent did not give an opinion," it said.

Researcher Sjaiful Mujani said the survey findings indicated that the public were divided over how to respond as regards the variety of Islam-based agenda that exist today.

"Although they stand against acts of terror carried out on behalf of Muslims in general, a large number of Muslims in the country are intolerant toward those who subscribe to different religious beliefs, especially Christians," he said.