Indonesian Bishops Discuss Inter–religious Problems with New Religious Affairs Minister

Jakarta, Indonesia – In a recent high–level meeting with Indonesia’s new national religious affairs minister, Mr. Mohammad Maftuh Basyuni, the state’s bishops have requested the former to look into the problems concerning inter–religious relations in their dioceses.

Mohammad Maftuh Basyuni, religious affairs minister under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, met the bishops during their Nov. 1–11 biannual meeting.

The director general of his ministry's Catholic mass guidance department accompanied Basyuni to the Jakarta offices of the Bishops' Conference of Indonesia. Cardinal Julius Darmaatmadja of Jakarta, president of the conference, hosted the 90–minute dialogue.

"I come to introduce myself as the new religious affairs minister, and to seek your cooperation," Basyuni told bishops. He was sworn in with the rest of the Cabinet on Oct. 20, the day Susilo took his oath of office as Indonesia's first directly elected president.

Pointing to Jakarta Inter–religious Forum as model, the minister requested the bishops to support similar forums in their respective areas. "An inter–religious forum is necessary to avoid discrimination among religions," he said, noting that all religions in the capital are represented at the Jakarta forum.

Bishop Julianus Sunarka of Purwokerto told the minister that relations among people of different religions in his diocese in Central Java, southeast of the capital, are doing well because of the forum there. According to the Jesuit bishop, the forum has monthly meetings to discuss matters related to spirituality. It even changed its name to Interfaith Brotherhood Forum, he said, to include Javanese mysticism, not recognized by the government as a religion.

Bishop Sunarka added that through the forum, various religions have organized joint humanitarian work such as helping people affected by floods and a volcanic explosion, besides helping widows, orphans and the poor.

A similar spirit of cooperation was reported by Holy Family Archbishop Sului Florentinus Ajaan Hau of Samarinda. He credited the local forum in East Kalimantan with preventing communal clashes between the local Dayak and immigrant Madurese communities. Clashes between the two groups had occurred in West Kalimantan in the second half of 1990s and in Central Kalimantan in 2001. Kalimantan is the Indonesian part of Borneo.

However, the Samarinda archbishop admitted harmonious relations are not yet secure at the grassroots. He expressed hope that the Religious Affairs Ministry would promote harmony among people at this level.

Archbishop Pius Datubara of Medan told the minister of the difficulty in obtaining a permit to build a church in Muslim–majority areas, which he said is especially problematic due to the ban on holding worship in houses.

"We hope the minister of religious affairs and his officials cooperate with local government to solve the problem and show religious pluralism really exists and is respected in our country," the Capuchin prelate said. His archdiocese covers the north of Sumatra, the main western Indonesian island.

Bishop Philip Saklil of Timika urged the minister to visit regions to see the religious situation directly. "That could help the ministry set programs that answers the real needs of local communities, because lots of decisions made by the central government fail to answer people's needs," said the bishop, whose diocese is in Papua, Indonesia's easternmost province.

Bishop Leo Laba Ladjar of Jayapura, from whose diocese Timika was carved out earlier this year, noted that problems faced by local people are related to politics and have nothing to do with religion. "The people of Papua experience injustice," he said.

Security forces have been accused of many rights violations in countering a separatist movement and protecting mining operations in the region. Additionally, Christians in Papua have claimed they did not get a fair proportion of the development funds the government allots to each religion.

Bishop Laba Ladjar told Basyuni the government should come up with a "balanced program" for Papua and also should keep in mind that "the majority in the region are Christians."

Bishop Michael Cosmas Angkur of Bogor said interreligious harmony in his area south and west of Jakarta is good but difficulties persist in dealing with the Religious Affairs Ministry's offices at district and town levels.

He urged Basyuni to facilitate the appointment of more Catholic religion teachers in schools, saying there are very few of them in West Java and Banten provinces. Religion is a mandatory subject for Indonesian school students, and the government pays the salary of religion teachers as civil servants.

Responding to the bishops, Basyuni said he planned tours to regions to meet people and learn their problems. "It is important because these people have different cultures and education," he explained.

The minister agreed that interreligious harmony is important and must be promoted. "As a Muslim, I was taught by the Qur'an not to interfere in another's faith and to accept the existence of other religions." However, he added, "I prefer that the State not control affairs of religious freedom."