Indonesia-update 06

INDONESIA

(Republic of Indonesia)

Updated 14 October 2006

Capital: Jakarta

Government type: Republic & Unitary State with a Presidential System

Independent:    17 Aug 1945 (independence proclaimed);

27 Dec 1949 (Netherlands recognises Indonesian independence)

Chief of State & Head of Government: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (since 20 October 2004); Vice President Muhammad Yusuf Kalla (since 20 October 2004)

Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president

State Religion: None

Statistics

Population: 245,452,739 (July 2006 est. / 250 million, SEAPC) Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays 7.5%, Chinese 3%, other 23%

Religions (2000 Census): Muslim 86% (75%, SEAPC), Christians 11% (2/3 Protestants), Hindu 2%, Buddhist 1%

Unemployment: 11.8% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line: 16.7% (2004)

Indonesia has around 300 ethnic groups with unique cultural differences and 742 different languages and dialects. It is also an archipelago of more than 18,000 islands of which 6,000 are inhabited.  

Political Development & Human Rights

Under the administration of President Yudhoyono, the Government has improved in its management of separatist issues in Aceh and Papua. A ceasefire agreement was reached with the Free Aceh Movement (Gerakan Aceh Merdeka or GAM) in 2006. In Papua, there has been a significant, although imperfect, implementation of regional autonomy laws. While the levels of violence and human rights abuses have reportedly declined, news of arbitrary arrests, unlawful killings, torture and ill treatment continues. In 2006, Indonesian Government recalled its ambassador from Australia following the Australian government granting protection visas to 42 Papuan asylum seekers.

In September 2005 the parliament took the necessary steps to approve ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Yet, significant problems remain:

• Widespread corruption further degrades the weak regard for rule of law and contributes to impunity.
• Poverty, high unemployment, and a weak education system rendered all citizens, particularly children and women, vulnerable to human rights abuses.
• Despite international pressures, trials of senior Indonesian officers in Jakarta have failed to provide a credible judicial account for the atrocities committed in East Timor in 1999.
• Although the government has stated its commitment to children's rights, education, and welfare, it devotes insufficient resources to fulfil that commitment. In practice, most schools are not free of charge, and poverty put education out of the reach of many children.
• Child labour and sexual abuse are serious problems. At least 688,000 children, mainly girls, are estimated to work as domestics in Indonesia. In the worst cases, child domestics are paid no salary at all and are physically and sexually abused.
• Domestic workers in Indonesia are not recognized as workers by the government, and are excluded from the nation's labor code.  This consequently denies them equal protection of the law and has a discriminatory impact on women and girls.
• Commercial sexual exploitation of children continued to be a serious problem.

The government has since 2001 co-operated with the U.S. in action against Islamic fundamentalism and terrorism. Nonetheless, the development of terrorist groups remains a concern. Responding to the several terrorist bombings targeting tourist centres, the Government successfully prosecuted more than 52 religiously motivated terrorists and their associates. Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, the head of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist group, was found guilty and sentenced to 30 months in jail for involvement in the 2002 Bali bombings. He was however acquitted of more serious terrorism charges. On June 14, 2006, he was released from prison after serving 26 months.

Religious Freedom

Despite its overwhelming Muslim majority, Indonesia is not an Islamic state. The Constitution declares that Indonesia is based upon "belief in the One and Only God", and states "every person shall be free to choose and to practice the religion of his/her choice" and "guarantees all persons the freedom of worship, each according to his/her own religion or belief". The government officially recognises six religions, namely Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Most of the population enjoy a high degree of religious freedom.

• The Government sometimes tolerates discrimination against and the abuse of religious groups by private actors, and often fails to punish the perpetrators.
• Various religious minority groups come under threat. In July 2005, Indonesia’s Council of Ulama issued a fatwa against the Ahmaddiyah, prompting a series of attacks against their places of worship, forcing them to flee.
• Government officials have worked with leaders of Muslim and Christian communities to diffuse tensions in conflict areas, particularly in Central Sulawesi and the Maluku. However, political and economic tensions between the Christians and Muslims continue to cause sporadic violent episodes resulting in deaths.
• The stated goal of the Revised Regulation on Building Houses of Worship (2006) is to make it easier to open new houses of worship. It, however, requires religious groups to obtain the signatures of at least 90 congregation members and 60 persons of other faiths in the community and approval from the local religious affairs office. A two-year grace period is granted. Some religious groups have complained that the revised decree made it even more difficult to establish a house of worship. Regardless, two churches were forcibly closed by certain groups without police intervention. Another 20 churches closed under pressure from militant groups and remain closed. It was reported that the police almost never acted to prevent forced church closings.
• Domestic religious organizations are required to obtain approval from the Ministry of Religion for funding received from overseas donors.
• Most of the proposed legal provisions of the controversial anti-pornography bill concern the way women dress and behave. Opponents of the bill say that it is an attempt by proponents of Syariah law to implement Syariah through the "back door."
• While Aceh is the only province authorized to implement Islamic law, approximately 30 regencies and municipalities across the country promulgate Syariah-inspired regulations at the local level.
• The Government restricts religious speech by arresting individuals accused of criticizing Islam or Muslims.
• Unforced conversions between faiths are allowed by law but remain a source of controversy. Some Muslims accuse Christian missionaries of using food and incentives to lure poor Muslims to conversion. Police arrested 3 women from the Christian Church of Camp David in Indramayu, West Java, and in September 2005 the court sentenced them to three years in jail under the Child Protection Law for allegedly attempting to convert Muslim children to Christianity.

The Church

There are two Protestant-majority provinces. Protestants make up about 60% of the population in Papua and 64% in North Sulawesi.

The position of Christianity in Indonesia depends a great deal on the place of Islam and its attitude toward other religions. Certain militant groups have declared war against the Christians. However, hardships have united the Indonesian churches like never before, for example, there are currently 523 prayer network nationwide.

The Church continues to face opposition as long as socio-economic problem in the country perpetuates. It is said that the growth of Christianity is likely to come from within the existing ethnic communities in the remote parts. Regardless, the Church has survived violent persecution, and Christianity continues to grow.

Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary (Isaiah 40:31).

Go through, Go through the gates! Prepare the way for the people; Build up, Build up the highway! Take out the stones, Lift up a banner for the peoples! (Isaiah 62:10)

Continue to pray:

1. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Vice President Muhammad Yusuf Kalla: to rule the nation with wisdom, strength and righteousness.
2. A just and transparent government and judiciary, honesty and integrity among the ruling officials.
3. Against the spirit of Islamic extremism.
4. Effective legal and social frameworks to break the culture of corruption and ethnic/religious conflicts.
5. Government to honour its commitment to Children’s rights and will devote adequate resource to improvement the situation and protect the children from all kinds of abuses.
6. Change of mindset, forgiveness and relational restoration; Christians and Muslims will learn to live in peace in Aceh, Papua, Ambon, and Sulawesi.
7. The Church
1. Effective and strategic evangelism in the remote parts of the country.
2. Unity of churches and steadfastness of Christians despite opposition and persecution.
3. Christians will share the Good News without fear of intimidation.

Reference:

1. CIA Factbook, Oct 5, 2006.
2. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2005, released March 2006
3. International Religious Freedom Report September 2006
4. Amnesty International 2006
5. Human Rights Watch World Report 2006
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia
7. Robbie B. H. Goh, Christianity in Southeast Asia. Singapore: ISEAS Pub., 2005.
8. The 4^th Southeast Asia Prayer Consultation (SEAPC), 10-14 October 2006. Batam, Indonesia.