Religion enters the realm of foreign affairs

Endy M. Bayuni and Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Nusa Dua Beach, Bali

Diplomats, bureaucrats and journalists take note: Religion, long regarded as one's personal and private domain, is entering the realm of foreign affairs.

Religious scholars and leaders took center stage in Bali as President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono opened an interfaith dialog on Thursday, bringing representatives from 39 countries grouped to the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) forum.

The message could not have been clearer from the President -- religions were now too precious to be left out of international diplomacy.

"Not long ago, in international discourse on peace and security, religious leaders and scholars used to take a back seat. And even when they gathered, they were hardly noticed," Susilo said in his keynote speech launching the two-day dialog.

"Your presence here today is a break from that. By taking part you are taking a frontline position in actively promoting cooperation, tolerance and understanding, without which no national or international order can succeed."

Leaders of the world's major faiths took turns in speaking about the need to promote interfaith dialog and the challenges facing communities and nations they face.

The event, organized by the Indonesian and British governments, came two weeks after the deadly London bomb attacks that killed more than 50 people, and raised fears of sowing further discords in interfaith relations, not only in Britain but also worldwide. British police have identified the four perpetrators as their own citizens of Pakistani origins.

Kim Howells, the British Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, said the London bombing made the discussions here even more relevant.

"It is especially poignant that I should be saying this in Bali which three years ago was also the victim of a vicious and heartless terrorist attack. The messages from Bali and London are the same," said Howells in his opening remarks.

"When you try to divide us or weaken our resolve, we will not be divided and our resolve will hold firm," he said, quoting Prime Minister Tony Blair.

What the dialog is not about is that Asian and European governments are starting to bring down the walls that separate state and religion. The Indonesian government is facilitating the discussions, but it is largely staying out of the discussions of the substance. The same holds for diplomats represented in ASEM present in Bali.

It is clear however that the ASEM governments hoped to see a greater role played by religious scholars and leaders, as Susilo said in his speech.

"For you are more than just leaders and scholars of your faith. Millions of people over the world look to you for guidance, direction and inspiration. You therefore have a responsibility, and have much to contribute, to the wellbeing of our world."

This is the second international interfaith dialog organized by Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world. The first one at the Asia Pacific level was held in Yogyakarta in December.

Among the religious leaders who addressed the forum on Thursday were Azizan Baharuddin of Malaysia, Iqbal Sacranie of Britain, Azyumardi Azra of Indonesia, University of Aarhus scholar Viggo Mortensen of Denmark, Jaran Maluleem of Thailand, Abraham Velez de Cea of Spain, Eswaran Sukumar of Singapore and Judith Belifante of the Netherlands.

Azyumardi welcomed the involvement of governments in matters that essentially have been the domain of religious and community leaders in promoting peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths.

"It takes the dialog to a higher and crucial level, and it is needed in the context of fighting off violence and terrorism conducted by groups professing to fight in the name of their religion," he told The Jakarta Post.

All participants agree that the spirit and the cordiality shown in the discussion should be replicated at the grassroots level.

The session broke into four groups later on Thursday to identify actions and measures on interfaith dialog in the sectors of education, culture, the media and religious leaders.

The meeting winds up later on Friday with a declaration.