Indonesia’s Catholic human rights minister has proposed enacting a religious freedom law to end discrimination against minority groups in the Muslim-majority nation. Source: UCA News.
“This law is needed so that the state truly guarantees fundamental right of citizens to practice their religion without hindrance,” Natalius Pigai, a Catholic and a former commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission, said.
The proposed law is to protect religious freedom and ensure freedom itself, he said in a statement.
Mr Pigai said the proposal was at “the discussion stage.”
It comes after Indonesia was listed as a “flawed democracy” in the latest democracy index by The Economist Intelligence Unit.
Mr Pigai hopes the law can help the nation improve its position by addressing the grievances of all religious groups, even those outside the six religions recognised by the state – Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism.
“All citizens have the right to freedom of religion and to practice their beliefs without fear,” he added.
The proposal was welcomed by Nahdlatul Ulama, the largest organisation of moderate Muslims with some 80 million followers.
Its chairman, Yahya Cholil Staquf, said the state must try to reduce inter-religious conflicts at the grassroots level.
Bonar Tigor Naipospos, from the advocacy group Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace, said that citizens should have the right to choose their religion and to profess and practice it.
Mr Naipospos said it was appropriate for the law’s title to be “freedom of religion” rather than “religious harmony.”
“There is no harmony as long as freedom is not guaranteed. The concept of harmony emphasises social order and ignores the rights of citizens,” he said.
Mafirion, a lawmaker on a commission related to religious affairs, criticised the minister’s proposal, saying freedom of religion is guaranteed by the 1945 Constitution.
“Is there a guarantee that it [violation of religious freedom] won’t happen if there is a new law?” asked the lawmaker, who goes by a single name.
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Indonesian Catholic minister proposes religious freedom law (UCA News)
