Intolerance is still high

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.