Long-famed for its tolerance, Bali deals with religious tension
Long-famed for its tolerance, Bali deals with religious tension
By I Wayan Juniarta and Rita Widiadana
DENPASAR, Bali (JP): Predominantly Hindu Bali has long been
held up as a model of religious tolerance.
The observance of Christmas, Galungan and Idul Fitri within
weeks of each other this year was not a source of division on the
famed resort island of Bali.
But while the Christian, Hindu and Islamic holidays passed
without major incident, there were several events which showed
how quickly religious discontent can surface.
The post-fasting month Idul Fitri holiday was observed with
solemnity and joy by Bali's Muslims. In several Muslim villages
such as Kepaon and Java in Denpasar, people celebrated the end of
Ramadhan.
In Bugis village, Muslims flocked to Awaliyah Mosque in
Singaraja to perform the Ied prayer marking the end of the
fasting month.
Farida, whose family is from Situbondo, East Java, rejoiced
with other Muslims despite the heavy rain on the day.
She remembered a time when there were few Muslims in Bali.
"I felt so sad and cried aloud on the eve of Idul Fitri when I
first came to the city almost 15 years ago," recalled Farida,
whose husband runs a minimarket in downtown Singaraja.
Today, the Muslim population has swelled to such numbers that
they can gather to perform tarawih, the nightly prayer during
Ramadhan, and Ied.
"There are a lot of people from Madura, Pasuruan, Jombang and
even from West Java who reside in Singaraja. This Idul Fitri
celebration was more joyous," she explained.
Hundreds of Muslim families celebrated at Lovina beach, North
Bali, and Pulaki beach.
Abdullah, a resident of Bugis village, said there was
religious harmony in Buleleng regency. The regency is home to
Balinese, Javanese, Bugis, Madurese, and descendants of Chinese,
Indians and Arabs.
"There are Hindu temples, mosques, churches, a Buddhist
temple, Chinese temples around here and so far we respect each
other's beliefs," he said.
There was minor unrest shortly before Idul Fitri involving
hundreds of villagers from Sekarmukti, 30 kilometers north of
Denpasar.
But it had nothing to do with religion; the villagers were
demanding proper water distribution from the provincial water
company.
Despite the joy of celebrations and the outward respect toward
other religions, religious friction did emerge.
In December 1999, a number of Hindu student activists lodged a
complaint with the provincial legislature concerning the
dissemination of Bibles written in Balinese.
The bible, distributed door-to-door by Jehovah's Witnesses,
contains Hindu terminology and symbols to explain Christian
teachings.
"God is translated into Ida Sanghyang Widhi Wasa, while Jesus
was declared the son of Ida Sanghyang Widhi Wasa," said an
activist of Aksi Kerukunan Umat, a student group.
The conflict came to a head on Christmas Day when the Denpasar
affiliate of the state-owned TVRI network presented an operetta,
Yesus Sang Penebus (Jesus the Savior), performed by Tri Tunggal
Maha Kudus, Tuka.
The usage of Hindu terminology, rituals and symbols caused an
uproar among the Balinese.
An apology from Father Frederikus Dhay and TVRI's management
failed to soothe the discontent.
The protests have spilled over to affect the Widya Pura and
Swastiastu foundations, which run Christian schools in Denpasar.
Protesters claim the two foundations use Sanskrit words in
their names which are closely tied to Hinduism, but the religion
is not taught at the school.
Administrators of the foundations have reportedly been forced
to change the organizations' names.
In the same month, privately run Indosiar was criticized for
using the sacred word Om in its millennium program, Milleni-Om,
held at Canggu tourist location. In Balinese Hindu, Om is the
most sacred word denoting God and the Universe.
RCTI, another Jakarta-based private television station,
canceled its presentation of the Sanghyang Dedari dance, which
was recorded at the holy site of Gunung Kawi in Gianyar, for its
global millennial program following strong objections from
community leaders.
The friction is nothing new. A few years ago, Nirwana Bali
Resort, located only a few hundred meters from the sacred Tanah
Lot Temple, caused an uproar with an advertisement for a golf
course featuring golf balls atop canang (ritual offerings).
The secretary-general of the Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia
in Bali, IB Gunadha, said the problem stemmed from low education
of locals and the fear they could be exploited.
"It may be easy for people to provoke them and to contaminate
their minds with other teachings and values," said Gunadha.
Some Balinese fear that other religions are looking for
converts on the island.
"Such a sensitivity is actually odd and inconceivable because
the Balinese have lived with other communities for hundreds of
years," said chairman of the Balinese Muslim Students Association
Asep Shahna.
"We feel so uneasy. I suspect there is a scenario to be played
out on the island to disturb religious harmony."
Australian anthropologist Adrian Vickers revealed in his study
of Hinduism and Islam in Bali in his paper Bali and the Pesisir
World that Muslim communities existed in Bali hundreds of years
ago, starting with Dalem Ktut in Gelgel.
Muslim villages were established across the island, including
Kampong Jawa in Klungkung (East Bali), Saren Jawa (Karangasem,
East Bali), Loloan in Jembrana (West Bali), Banjar Jawa and
Pegayaman village in Buleleng (North Bali) and Kepaon village in
Denpasar.
Vickers said Hindu and Muslim communities have lived side by
side for centuries.
In some Hindu temples near Muslim villages like Banjar Madura
in Sanur and temples in Bratan, North Bali, Hindus praise a deity
named Dewa Gde Madura. In these villages, pork is not used in
offerings.
Weapons believed to have belonged to Muslims have been kept as
holy objects in some temples.
It is clear the Balinese have long respected people of
different cultural and religious backgrounds. But the impact of
globalization, tourism, telecommunications and commercialism have
changed the demographic composition.
Despite recent problems, the history of tolerance will
hopefully prevent the rise of the intercultural and sectarian
conflicts tearing at the heart of communities in other parts of
the country.