Ahmadiyya under threat: Increasing religious intolerance in Indonesia

The attack on Ahmadis and subsequent trial has rightly been denounced by human rights activists across the world. The judgment clearly depicts increasing religious intolerance in the country and failure of state institutions in protecting life and property of minorities.

Source: Allvoice.com

An international outrage was caused in February by a clash that took place in Cikeusik– one of the remote districts of Indonesia – following appearance of a graphic video online filmed in the district. The video shows a house being attacked by more than a 1,000 Muslim fundamentalists wherein 21 Ahmadis were living. The attackers killed three of them on the spot without citing any reason and also chanted vociferous slogans against Ahmadis besides thrashing and tramping their bodies.



The most unfortunate was, however, demonstrated by the police as they stood at the scene just like a silent spectator and rather abetted and aided the attack on members of the minority. The police of Indonesia have also been alleged many times in the past for their complicity with Muslim hard-liners in attacking and torching houses, markets, worship places and other properties owned by Christians and Ahmadis in the country.

What makes state institutions in Indonesia to do away with their crime against minorities? Is the state itself complicit with Islamic hard-liners and orthodox Muslims? Deden Sudjana, an Ahmadi, who had survived the deadly mob attack in February but injured badly, was sentenced on Monday to six months in prison while the assailants were awarded meager punishments.

Mr. Sudjana was found guilty by a district court and held responsible for the clash. He was convicted for helping Ahmadiyya community stockpiling lethal weapons in their homes and defying the police orders to abandon the village. How funny and unfortunate it is! Instead of protecting life and property of Ahmadis being a minority in the country, the state institutions are asking them to comply with orders of clerics and vigilante.

It is to be noted Indonesia is one of the largest Muslim and the world’s fourth most populous country in Southeast Asia. The majority of Muslims in the country are Sunni while around nine per cent of the population is Christian, three per cent Hindu and two per cent Buddhists or other. Ahmadis are in negligible number and perhaps that’s why are most vulnerable to be attacked and persecuted.

The attack on Ahmadis and subsequent trial has rightly been denounced by human rights activists across the world. The judgment clearly depicts increasing religious intolerance in the country and failure of state institutions in protecting life and property of minorities.

“This decision delegitimizes the right of Ahmadis to defend themselves. It means that they can be punished if they defend themselves when their homes and mosques are attacked,” International Herald Tribune quoted Firdaus Mubarik, a spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya, as saying. He further voiced his concerns saying minor punishments to the attackers would only encourage them to launch more attacks on Ahmadis.

Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has urged Indonesia to constitute an independent inquiry into the trial and facts be brought forth the world. International community including the US should also use all the diplomatic means and channels to pressure Indonesian government for ensuring protection of minorities especially Ahmadis – who are living in shabby conditions in the country.

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