Siding and Acting Intolerantly
Report
Freedom of Religion/Belief
Team of Setara Institute
January 7, 2009
Summary
This document is the 2008 Report on the State of Freedom of Religion or Belief in Indonesia, published by the SETARA Institute. This second annual report is titled “Taking Sides and Acting Intolerantly: Social Intolerance and State Restrictions on Freedom of Religion or Belief in Indonesia.” This report was compiled to document instances of violations and to urge the state to fulfill its obligations to respect and promote human rights, particularly freedom of religion and belief.
Some of the key findings in this document include:
- Throughout 2008, there were 367 recorded violations of freedom of religion or belief occurring across 265 incidents.
- The Ahmadiyah community was the group that experienced the most violations, with a total of 238 incidents.
- The state was directly involved through 99 active acts (repression) and 89 acts of failure to prevent violence.
- The involvement of citizens or community groups manifested in 88 criminal acts and 91 acts of intolerance.
- A significant spike in violent incidents occurred in June 2008, which is believed to have been escalated by pressure and the issuance of a Joint Decree (SKB) regarding restrictions on the Ahmadiyah.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Operational Definitions & Analytical Framework
3. Findings (Including: Overview, Overview of the Monitoring Areas, Incidents and Violations, Bias in the Interpretation of the Constitution, and Breakthroughs)
4. The State’s Responsibilities
5. Conclusions and Recommendations
