Religious Affairs Minister asserts zero tolerance for sexual violence

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar has emphasised that the Ministry of Religious Affairs will not tolerate any form of sexual violence or harassment, whether physical, verbal, or sexual. “There is no tolerance for sexual violence. I have never tolerated even the slightest action that harms human dignity,” said Nasaruddin Umar in Jakarta on Wednesday. The statement was made in response to a case of sexual violence committed by a kiai against his students at a pesantren in Pati, Central Java. The Minister stressed that educational institutions must be safe and dignified spaces for all learners. Religious educational institutions must be the safest places for children to learn and serve as ideal examples for society. “Not only as Minister of Religious Affairs, but as a human being, I declare that anything contrary to morality must be our common enemy,” said the Minister. “This will be our concern, especially issues related to pesantrens. We have established the Pesantren Development Unit, where pesantren leaders collaborate to monitor and prevent any deviations in pesantrens,” the Minister asserted firmly. The Ministry of Religious Affairs has ensured that the education of the students continues by facilitating their transfer to several educational institutions in the surrounding regency. “The education of the students must continue; this is also a focus of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. We will relocate the students so they can continue their schooling at educational institutions in Pati Regency,” said the Director of Pesantrens at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Basnang Said.