Religious Intolerence in Indonesia (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Oct. 10, 2018 |
| Report Number |
IF11001 |
| Report Type |
In Focus |
| Authors |
Wil Mackey, Ben Dolven |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim-majority
country, and it has long been known for its moderate
interpretations of Islam. Yet, in recent years, there have
been numerous acts of religious intolerance directed against
minority religious groups in the country, including
Ahmadis, a Muslim sect. This sort of intolerance gained
international attention in December 2016 when over
200,000 protestors descended on Jakarta, Indonesia’s
capital, to demand that the city’s governor, Basuki Tjahaja
Purnama, resign. They accused Basuki, otherwise known as
Ahok, of blasphemy because he had suggested that his
political opponents were using a Quranic verse to
encourage Muslims to vote against non-Muslims. (Ahok is
a double minority in Indonesia: he is a Christian and
ethnically Chinese.) Months later, Ahok lost his reelection
bid; he also was charged with blasphemy, convicted, and
sentenced to two years in prison.
The sentence shocked many Southeast Asia observers.
After the demonstrations, some of them began to question
Indonesia’s reputation for religious tolerance. They pointed
to an uptick in the number of attacks and discriminatory
practices aimed at minorities, and noted that Islamist
groups’ political influence seemed to be increasing.
Previously, these groups had limited influence in national
politics, and secular parties dominated national elections.
Secular parties still are the most powerful ones in the
country, but given the success of the anti-Ahok
demonstrations, Islamist groups and hardline rhetoric may
have an unprecedented impact on the upcoming 2019
general elections. Some observers argue that even some
mainstream political figures have become more inclined to
use religious intolerance to shore up political support.
Several factors may be contributing to the more-mainstream
acceptance of hardline interpretations of Islam, including
the country’s Islamic schools, funding from the Persian
Gulf region, and the Indonesian government’s policies.
