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INDONESIA: Country dossier
April 2018
Open Doors International / World Watch Research Unit
April 2018 / 2
www.opendoorsanalytical.org
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
1
World Watch List 2018
1. Private Life 2. Family Life 3. Community Life 4. National Life 5. Church Life 6. ViolenceTOTAL SCORE WWL
2018
TOTAL
SCORE
WWL
2017
TOTAL
SCORE
WWL
2016
TOTAL
SCORE
WWL
2015
TOTAL
SCORE
WWL
2014
Rank Country Score Score Score Score Score Score Score Score Score Score Score
1 North Korea 16.7 16.7 16.7 16.7 16.7 10.6 94 92 92 92 90
2 Afghanistan 16.7 16.7 16.7 16.7 16.7 10.0 93 89 88 81 78
3 Somalia 16.0 16.2 16.1 16.3 16.4 10.4 91 91 87 90 80
4 Sudan 14.2 14.5 14.3 15.6 16.0 12.0 87 87 84 80 73
5 Pakistan 14.4 13.5 13.8 15.0 13.1 16.7 86 88 87 79 77
6 Eritrea 15.2 14.5 15.8 16.1 15.2 9.4 86 82 89 79 72
7 Libya 15.2 15.3 14.2 15.7 15.5 10.4 86 78 79 76 71
8 Iraq 14.7 14.7 14.9 14.9 15.1 11.3 86 86 90 86 78
9 Yemen 16.7 16.6 16.4 16.5 16.7 2.6 85 85 78 73 74
10 Iran 14.0 14.1 14.5 15.8 16.4 10.0 85 85 83 80 77
11 India 12.6 12.7 13.2 14.7 12.9 14.4 81 73 68 62 55
12 Saudi Arabia 14.9 13.7 14.2 15.5 16.4 4.1 79 76 76 77 78
13 Maldives 15.2 15.5 13.5 15.8 16.7 1.1 78 76 76 78 77
14 Nigeria 11.8 11.5 13.1 12.1 12.1 16.5 77 78 78 78 70
15 Syria 14.4 14.3 14.1 14.5 14.7 3.7 76 86 87 83 79
16 Uzbekistan 15.5 12.1 13.0 13.1 16.0 3.5 73 71 70 69 68
17 Egypt 11.3 12.8 12.2 11.7 9.5 12.4 70 65 64 61 61
18 Vietnam 12.4 8.4 12.7 14.2 13.8 7.4 69 71 66 68 65
19 Turkmenistan 15.2 10.3 12.9 12.8 15.2 1.9 68 67 66 63 62
20 Laos 12.9 8.6 13.6 13.9 14.9 3.5 67 64 58 58 62
21 Jordan 13.2 13.3 11.5 10.9 13.0 4.3 66 63 59 56 56
22 Tajikistan 13.3 11.3 11.8 11.8 12.9 4.3 65 58 58 50 47
23 Malaysia 12.0 14.9 12.8 12.4 9.3 3.9 65 60 58 55 49
24 Myanmar 11.6 11.1 13.2 10.4 11.0 7.8 65 62 62 60 59
25 Nepal 12.6 11.9 10.7 11.5 12.4 4.6 64
26 Brunei 14.3 14.2 10.7 10.2 13.5 0.9 64 64 61 58 57
27 Qatar 13.4 12.9 11.7 11.3 14.1 0.0 63 66 65 64 63
28 Kazakhstan 12.8 10.0 10.2 12.2 13.7 3.7 63 56 55 51 49
29 Ethiopia 9.8 10.0 10.8 10.9 10.5 10.4 62 64 67 61 65
30 Tunisia 11.9 13.2 10.6 10.7 12.0 3.9 62 61 58 55 55
31 Turkey 12.5 9.7 9.8 11.7 9.6 8.7 62 57 55 52 (not in WWL)
32 Kenya 12.0 10.9 10.0 7.9 11.7 9.4 62 68 68 63 48
33 Bhutan 11.9 11.6 12.4 11.4 13.1 1.1 62 61 56 56 54
34 Kuwait 13.4 12.6 11.6 10.9 12.3 0.4 61 57 56 49 50
35 Central African Republic 9.0 8.1 10.1 8.9 8.8 16.1 61 58 59 67 67
36 Palestinian Territories 12.1 12.8 10.7 10.5 12.6 1.1 60 64 62 58 53
37 Mali 11.4 9.6 11.2 8.1 9.2 9.6 59 59 55 52 54
38 Indonesia 10.3 11.0 11.5 10.0 9.3 6.9 59 55 55 50 46
39 Mexico 8.3 7.6 12.1 10.7 9.7 10.4 59 57 56 55 (not in WWL)
40 United Arab Emirates 13.6 12.2 10.0 10.4 11.8 0.2 58 55 55 49 51
41 Bangladesh 10.4 8.8 11.4 9.6 7.5 10.0 58 63 57 51 46
42 Algeria 12.3 13.1 7.5 10.4 12.4 2.0 58 58 56 55 54
43 China 9.2 7.2 8.0 10.7 13.3 9.1 57 57 57 57 51
44 Sri Lanka 11.1 7.6 10.5 11.3 10.1 6.9 57 55 (not in WWL) 51 55
45 Azerbaijan 13.1 9.1 9.3 11.1 12.4 2.4 57 (not in WWL) 57 50 (not in WWL)
46 Oman 12.1 12.2 9.9 9.4 12.6 1.1 57 53 53 55 56
47 Mauritania 11.5 11.3 11.1 12.2 11.0 0.0 57 55 (not in WWL) 50 51
48 Bahrain 12.9 13.1 10.2 9.9 10.3 0.2 57 54 54 (not in WWL) 48
49 Colombia 7.9 7.6 11.9 8.6 8.5 11.9 56 53 55 55 56
50 Djibouti 12.2 12.2 10.3 9.9 11.7 0.0 56 57 58 60 46
WWL 2018 Persecution Watch Countries1
1. Private Life 2. Family Life 3. Community Life 4. National Life 5. Church Life 6. Violence
TOTAL SCORE WWL
2018
Rank Country Score Score Score Score Score Score Score
51 Comoros 11.7 11.5 9.1 9.4 13.9 0.4 56
52 Kyrgyzstan 11.7 9.5 10.0 8.1 11.6 2.8 54
53 Tanzania 10.1 10.3 10.1 9.5 9.0 3.9 53
54 Russian Federation 11.1 8.4 10.1 8.9 10.7 2.0 51
55 Morocco 10.4 11.5 7.6 8.8 12.0 0.6 51
56 Cuba 8.5 4.9 10.7 10.4 12.2 2.4 49
57 Uganda 10.9 8.7 9.5 8.7 4.8 3.9 46
58 Niger 9.9 9.7 9.0 7.0 7.1 2.6 45
1 These countries reached a score of 41 points or more but did not receive enough points to be included in the WWL Top 50.
(not in WWL)
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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Indonesia – Country dossier (April 2018)
No copyright - This report is the property of World Watch Research (WWR), the research
department of Open Doors International. It may be used and distributed free of charge, but
please always acknowledge WWR as the source.
Contents
World Watch List 2018 .................................................................................................................. 1
Introduction .................................................................................................................................. 2
WWL 2018: Keys to understanding INDONESIA............................................................................ 3
WWL 2018: Church History and Facts ........................................................................................... 5
WWL 2018: Short & Simple Persecution Profile ........................................................................... 8
WWL 2018: Persecution Dynamics ............................................................................................... 9
WWR in-depth reports ................................................................................................................ 18
Open Doors article(s) from the region ........................................................................................ 18
World Watch Monitor news articles ........................................................................................... 19
Recent country developments .................................................................................................... 27
Introduction
This country report is a collation of documents based around Open Doors World Watch List
(WWL)1 including statistical information on world religions, Christian denominations, and
people groups prepared by the World Christian Database (WCD)2. Further news and analysis is
supplied by World Watch Monitor3 and WWR staff.
INDONESIA
World Watch List Score Rank WWL 2018 59 38
WWL 2017 55 46
WWL 2016 55 43 WWL 2015 50 47
WWL 2014 46 47
1 See: https://www.opendoorsuk.org/persecution/countries/
2 WCD website: http://www.brill.com/publications/online-resources/world-christian-database
3 See: https://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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WWL 2018: Keys to understanding INDONESIA
Link for general background information: BBC country profile: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14921238
Recent country history
Indonesia, which is spread across thousands of islands, fought for its independence from the
Netherlands in a four year war ending in 1949. After years of violence and corruption, the
country made a transition to democracy with the first direct presidential elections being held
in 2004.
In the run up to the elections in early 2017 for the office of governor of Jakarta, mass protests
against the ethnic Chinese and Christian Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (known as “Ahok”) for alleged
blasphemy brought upwards of 200,000 people to the streets. Having won the first round of
elections in February 2017, Purnama lost the second round and was sentenced to two years in
prison. He decided not to appeal against the verdict and thus keep the political situation in
Indonesia calm. It is a very worrying sign that the election winners played the religious card,
relying almost solely on Islamic rhetoric.
The religious landscape
The influence of radical Islamic organizations is high. Neither federal nor local governments
dare to ignore their demands, fearing public unrest. Frequently targeted are religious
minorities such as the Ahmadis - a Muslim minority – and Christians. But Indonesia is still
diverse: One province, Aceh, at the western tip of Sumatra, is ruled by Sharia law and is even
tightening its rules; several other provinces have also introduced Sharia by-laws, leaving
Christians in particular in a difficult situation; but at the same time, there are Christian-
majority and Hindu-majority provinces as well. Nevertheless, the massive demonstrations
against Jakarta’s governor Purnama have made Christians and other religious minorities in
Indonesia nervous as radical Islamic groups are becoming more outspoken and are obviously
gaining more and more public ground.
An unknown factor facing Indonesia is the question of how the return of battle-hardened
Islamists from Syria and Iraq will affect the country’s radical Islamic groups. How dangerous
their return can be was clearly illustrated in the capture of the town of Marawi in neighboring
Mindanao/Philippines, which was supported by Indonesian Islamic fighters. A survey of the
Wahid Foundation, published in August 2016, found that 8.1% of the Indonesian adult
population (approximately 12 million people) hold hard-line Islamic beliefs, including the
willingness to commit radical acts of aggression.4 Christians are clearly vulnerable to societal
discrimination and even to violence. This is the current situation for Christians in many areas –
not just in Aceh and other hot-spots.
4 See: http://www.wahidfoundation.org/index.php/news/detail/Most-Indonesians-Reject-Radicalism-Wahid-
Foundation-Survey , last accessed 20 April 2018.
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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The Indonesian government has taken action to close a radical Islamic group called “Hizb-ut-
Tahrir Indonesia” but this is just one of the smaller groups active in Indonesia. One of the great
unknowns at the moment is how the largest Muslim organizations in the country, the
Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) and the Muhammadiyah – will counter the growing radicalization in the
country. Traditionally, they were seen as moderate and tolerant towards other religious
groups, but especially the youth organisation of NU has been vocal in calling for a more
conservative understanding of Islam.
The political landscape
While Islamic political parties do not gain many votes in elections, the uniting force of the
Islamic religion can be used as an effective political tool. The hard-liners’ victory in stopping
Purnama being re-elected should not be underestimated: It will have consequences for the
national elections due in 2019 as well as in other regional elections. Islamic radical groups have
already announced that the next target on their list is the comparatively tolerant Muslim
governor of West Java (home to the country’s third largest city, Bandung), where elections are
due to take place in June 2018.
Of course, the government is trying to hold tight to its banner of tolerance. A good illustration
of the government’s practice of this is the situation around Yasmin Church in Bogor, West Java
– a church belonging to the Indonesian Christian Church denomination. Despite a judgment
passed by the Supreme Court in December 2010, ruling that the church authorities had passed
all requirements set up by law to get a building permit, the town’s mayor refuses to abide by
this ruling and the government has not taken action against him due to fears of social unrest.
The church started to worship in front of the Indonesian president’s palace in Jakarta instead,
but this did not change the situation at all. In February 2017, almost seven years after the
judgment, a compromise has been proposed that the church building may be opened if a
mosque is allowed to be built next to it on its land.5 Up to the time of writing (July 2017),
nothing has become of this proposal.
More church buildings have been closed in 2017. Attacks on religious minorities not only occur
frequently, but are also regularly left unpunished, which leads to a growing climate of fear and
desperation. Thus, the country is starting to lose its model character of being a successfully
democratic country housing a tolerant form of Islam.
The socio-economic landscape
Indonesia is developing fast. The growth of the middle class, predominantly in urban areas, has
led to increasing prosperity which strengthens society as a whole. Debates in parliament are
lively and open, leaving space for discussion and questioning of the government. The media
have grown too, becoming a fourth source of power alongside the legislative, executive and
judiciary powers. Whether the issue is attacks on religious minorities (mostly labelled as
“sectarian strife”) or rampant corruption, the media (newspapers, TV, radio and growing social
5 See: https://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/2017/02/indonesian-church-closed-for-years-told-you-can-reopen-if-
mosque-allowed-on-your-land/, last accessed 15 November 2017.
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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media) do not shy away from aggressive reporting. A growing number of non-governmental
organizations complete this picture.
However, in reality no one is really listening to such reporting. The radical Islamic groups taking
to the streets are far more effective at influencing both society’s point of view and
government action which was recently shown in the blasphemy case against Jakarta’s Christian
governor. And since under 50% of the population live in an urbanized environment, the
growing openness in criticizing the powerful does not reach all citizens; local strongmen have
more means for staying in power. Many citizens are weary of the continued corruption of
politicians and are uninterested in politics, but this did not help a clean-sheet politician like
“Ahok” at all.
Concluding remarks
The reporting period for WWL 2018 (1 November 2016 – 31 October 2017) started with a
bomb attack on a church in Samarinda, killing a child and leaving several others severely
injured. The attacker was motivated by Islamic State ideology, illustrating the worrying trend
of radicalization. More bomb attacks occurred but they were not targeting religious minorities.
Even so, this all adds to a picture of growing volatility and insecurity, affecting in particular
religious minorities like Christians. The outburst of violence in May 2017 by Islamic militants in
neighboring Philippines, supported by Indonesian fighters, has alerted authorities in Indonesia,
Malaysia and Singapore alike. They announced joint naval patrols in order to counter the
radicals’ movements. In the mid-term, this will not be enough to preserve Indonesia’s
comparatively more tolerant form of Islam.
WWL 2018: Church History and Facts
INDONESIA
How many Christians?
Pop 2017
Christians
Chr%
263,510,000 31,925,000 12.1
Source: WCD, May 2017
How did the Christians get there?
Searching for the New World and exotic spices, Portuguese merchants came to Indonesia in
1511, firstly to Maluku, in the eastern part of the country. The Portuguese brought with them
Roman Catholicism as the first seeds of Christianity in Indonesia.
According to a study by W. Frederick and R. Worden: “Indonesia – A Country Study”:
“Christianity had a long history in the islands, with Portuguese Jesuits and Dominicans
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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operating in the Malukus, southern Sulawesi, and Timor in the sixteenth century. When the
Dutch defeated Portugal in 1605, however, Catholic missionaries were expelled and the
Calvinist Dutch Reformed Church was virtually the only Christian influence in the region for 300
years. Whereas the United East Indies Company (VOC) was primarily a secular and not a
religious enterprise, and because Calvinism was a strict, austere, and intellectually
uncompromising variety of Christianity that demanded a thorough understanding of what, for
Indonesians, were foreign scriptures, Christianity advanced little in Indonesia until the
nineteenth century. Only a few small communities endured in Java, Maluku, northern
Sulawesi, and Nusa Tenggara (primarily Roti and Timor). After the dissolution of the VOC in
1799, and the adoption of a more comprehensive view of their mission in the archipelago, the
Dutch permitted proselytizing in the territory. This evangelical freedom was put to use by the
more tolerant German Lutherans, who began work among the Batak of Sumatra in 1861.”6
“The twentieth century witnessed the influx of many new Protestant missionary groups, as
well as the continued growth of Catholicism and of large regional and reformed Lutheran
churches. Following the 1965 coup attempt, all nonreligious persons were labelled atheists and
hence were vulnerable to accusations of harboring communist sympathies. At that time,
Christian churches of all varieties experienced explosive growth in membership, particularly
among those people who felt uncomfortable with the political aspirations of Islamic parties.”7
“In the 1990s, the majority of Christians in Indonesia were Protestants of one affiliation or
another, with particularly large concentrations found in Sumatra Utara, Irian Jaya, Maluku,
Kalimantan Tengah, Sulawesi Tengah, and Sulawesi Utara. Catholic congregations grew less
rapidly in the 1980s, in part because of the church's heavy reliance on European personnel.
These Europeans experienced increasing restrictions on their missionary activities imposed by
the Muslim-dominated Department of Religious Affairs.”8
What church networks exist today? 9
Orthodox Catholic Protestant Independent Unaffiliated Double-aff Evangelical Renewalist
2,800 7,792,000 18,627,000 7,483,000 434,000 -2,624,000 8,743,000 11,182,000 Source: WCD, May 2017
6 Frederick W.H. and Worden R.L., Indonesia - A Country Study, Washington, USA, 1993, available at:
http://countrystudies.us/indonesia/, last accessed 31 July 2017. 7 Id.
8 Id.
9 Orthodox: Eastern (Chalcedonian), Oriental (Pre-Chalcedonian, Non-Chalcedonian, Monophysite), Nestorian
(Assyrian), and non-historical Orthodox. Roman Catholics: All Christians in communion with the Church of Rome. Protestants: Christians in churches originating in or in communion with the Western world’s 16th-century Protestant Reformation. Includes Anglicans, Lutherans and Baptists (any of whom may be Charismatic) and denominational Pentecostals, but not Independent traditions such as Independent Baptists nor independent Charismatics. Independents: Believers who do not identify with the major Christian traditions (Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Protestant). Unaffiliated Christians: Persons professing publicly to be Christians but who are not affiliated to churches. Doubly-affiliated Christians: Persons affiliated to or claimed by 2 denominations at once. Evangelicals: Churches, denominations, and individuals who identify themselves as evangelicals by membership in denominations linked to evangelical alliances (e.g., World Evangelical Alliance) or by self-identification in polls. Renewalists: Church members involved in Pentecostal/Charismatic renewal movements.
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The Church is fragmented into more than 300 denominations in Indonesia, creating rivalry and
disunity. Apart from the Roman Catholic Church, the largest denominations belong to the
Reformed and Lutheran traditions, which were brought to the country by Dutch and German
missionaries. Over time, smaller denominations such as Baptists, Adventists and the Salvation
Army became established, complemented by a number of independent - especially
Pentecostal - churches as well.
Religious context (selection)
Christian Muslim Hindu Buddhist Ethno-
religionist Jewish Bahai
Atheist & others10
31,925,000 209,165,000 4,246,000 2,085,000 5,913,000 200 25,700 7,835,000
Also note: Chinese folk: 2,309,000 Source: WCD, May 2017
According to WCD statistics, 79.4% of the population is Muslim. There are also millions of
atheists/agnostics and those following ethnic religions, Hinduism (mainly on Bali), Chinese folk
religion and Buddhism.
While Christianity became a major religion in eastern Indonesia, Islam became strong in the
western and central parts. The very special brand of Islam in Indonesia, named “Islam
Nusantara”, has always been moderate and tolerant towards other religions. However, it
received a strong blow with the successful blasphemy campaign during the election of
Jakarta’s governor early in 2017. Governor “Ahok” had been the first Christian governor in
Jakarta for more than five decades, so his prison sentence for blasphemy and the emotionally
charged election campaign, based on strong religious motives, might prove a game-changer for
Christians in the country.
Notes on the current situation
Recent surveys show that intolerant sentiments and even violent attitudes against religious
minorities are increasing, particularly where the building of houses of worship are
concerned. For instance: A study carried out for the Ministry of Religious Affairs and
published in December 2016, confirmed that religious conflict in Indonesia is increasing,
although still only considered “moderate” in intensity.11
There is a significant demographic change caused by migration and conversion to Islam.
Although the government stopped the official policy of supporting citizens to move from an
overcrowded Java to the Eastern Provinces, which in the case of Sulawesi and Papua partly
hold Christian majorities, the movement continues. Additionally, Muslim missionaries are
active among tribal people in Papua and elsewhere.
Part of the current disunity in the Church is caused by fear. Mainline churches fear openly
accepting Christians with a Muslim background into their congregations, although churches
in the cities have considerably more freedom to do this than churches in rural areas.
10
This category includes Atheists, Agnostics and New religionists. 11
See: https://media.neliti.com/media/publications/135014-EN-constitution-civil-society-and-the-fight.pdf, last accessed 20 April 2018.
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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Indonesia was tagged as a “Tier 2 country” by the United States Commission on
International Religious Freedom again in its 2017 annual report, meaning that it is a country
under watch, but not “of particular concern” (which would be Tier 1).
WWL 2018: Short & Simple Persecution Profile –
INDONESIA Reporting period: 1 November 2016 - 31 October 2017
WWL 2018 Points: 59 / Position: 38 WWL 2017 Points: 55 / Position: 46
WWL 2016 Points: 55 / Position: 43
Where persecution comes from
Some Islamic religious leaders instigate hatred against Christians and other religious minorities
via their teaching in mosques, but this occurs in the mass media as well. Several conservative
Muslim political parties, e.g. the PKS, are known to push their agenda for an Islamic nation. It is
often their representatives who are behind the drafting and passing of Sharia-inspired polices,
including in the field of education. However, radical Islamic pressure groups like the FPI are
more influential. They are able to mobilize hundreds of thousands on the streets, last
witnessed in the large demonstrations (staged regularly in the period September 2016 – May
2017) against Jakarta Christian governor “Ahok” because of alleged blasphemy. This is also the
reason why the government per se is not a driver of persecution at the national level, although
in August 2017 it has announced plans to tighten the country’s blasphemy legislation. Most
problems occur at the local level in the confrontations with radical Islamic pressure groups.
How Christians are suffering
Many converts from Islam experience persecution from their families. However, the intensity
of the persecution varies and is mostly in the form of isolation, verbal abuse, etc. Only a small
percentage of converts have to face physical violence for their Christian faith. The level of
persecution also depends on the region of Indonesia concerned. There are certain hot spots
like West Java or Aceh, where radical Islamic groups are strong and exert heavy influence on
society and politics.
Once a church is seen to be proselytizing, as many evangelical and Pentecostal churches do,
they soon run into problems with radical Islamic groups. Typically, non-traditional church
groups also experience difficulties getting permission for building churches. Even if they
manage to fulfill all legal requirements (including winning court cases), local authorities still
ignore them. There have also been reports of Catholic churches having difficulties obtaining
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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building permission as well. All in all, the situation for Christians has deteriorated in the course
of recent years.
Examples
On 13 November 2016, an attacker threw a Molotov cocktail into the church premises of
Oikumene Church in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, killing a two-year-old girl and wounding
three others, all under the age of four.
On 9 May 2017, the Christian governor of Jakarta was sentenced to two years in prison due
to an alleged case of blasphemy occurring in a speech in September 2016.
There have been several reports from different parts of the country where converts to
Christianity have been detained by their families and had their cellphone taken from them.
Most are isolated for several weeks and can be expelled from the family home once it is
clear that the conversion is serious.
Children of Christians often face ostracism and verbal abuse. In some regions, Muslim
families regularly forbid their children to play with Christian friends. They are called infidels
and are sometimes mocked by Islamic religious teachers and made to sit in the back row of
the school classroom.
WWL 2018: Persecution Dynamics INDONESIA Reporting period: 1 November 2016 - 31 October 2017
WWL 2018 Points: 59 / Position: 38 WWL 2017 Points: 55 / Position: 46
WWL 2016 Points: 55 / Position: 43
Contents
Position on World Watch List (WWL) ...........................................................................................................10
Persecution engines .....................................................................................................................................10
Drivers of persecution ..................................................................................................................................11
Context .........................................................................................................................................................12
Christian communities and how they are affected ......................................................................................12
Pressure in the 5 spheres of life and violence .............................................................................................13
Gender profile of persecution ......................................................................................................................16
Future outlook ..............................................................................................................................................16
Policy considerations ....................................................................................................................................17
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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Position on World Watch List (WWL)
Indonesia’s WWL 2018 score of 59 points shows an increase of four points in comparison to
WWL 2017. Pressure on Christians increased in all Spheres of life. Pressure increased for all
categories of Christians, possibly best reflected in the large-scale demonstrations organized by
radical Islamic groups against Jakarta’s Christian governor of Chinese ethnicity “Ahok”. The
latter was finally arrested and sentenced to two years prison in May 2017 on charges of
alleged blasphemy. This shocked the Christian community which has come under more
attacks.
Persecution engines
Persecution engines in Indonesia12
Islamic oppression Very strong
Religious nationalism Medium
Ethnic antagonism Very Weak
Denominational protectionism Not at all
Communist and post-Communist oppression Not at all
Secular intolerance Not at all
Dictatorial paranoia Not at all
Organized corruption and crime Not at all
Islamic oppression (Very strong):
Indonesia is a country both blessed and challenged by its diversity. It hosts the largest Muslim
population in the world, whose predominant brand of Islam is traditionally fairly tolerant,
granting minorities some space (often referred to as: Islam Nusantara or Island Islam, referring
to the archipelago’s unique topography of more than 17,000 islands and to its diversity). In
regard to geography as well as religion, Indonesia is one of the most de-centralized countries
in the world. Although the Constitution of Indonesia guarantees religious freedom, various
regions and territories of Indonesia are governed by a host of Islamic by-laws, including Sharia
law in the Province of Aceh.
Radical groups have increasingly gained influence as was shown in the WWL 2018 reporting
period when Hizb-ut Tahrir Indonesia and the Islamic Defender Front (FPI) took to the streets
of Jakarta, protesting against the (Christian Chinese) governor of Jakarta, “Ahok”. They
managed not only to influence voters to not re-elect him, but also put so much pressure on
courts and society that he was sentenced to two years Imprisonment on grounds of alleged
blasphemy. These organizations publically use strict religious interpretations to justify the
implementation of Sharia law and the infringement of the rights of religious minorities. They
are used by politicians and their parties in Jakarta for getting leverage, although the
government decided to ban Hizb-ut Tahrir in May 2017. Indonesia’s universities are known to
12
The scale for the level of influence of Persecution engines and Drivers in society is: Not at all / Very weak / Weak / Medium / Strong / Very strong.
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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be hotbeds of Islamic radicalization13 and more and more money from Saudi Arabia is pouring
in, used for education purposes, but having the effect of bringing Wahhabi religious ideology
into the country. Not only Christians are affected by the radical Islamic groups; Muslim
minority groups such as Ahmadis suffer as well.
Religious nationalism (Medium):
As already stated, Indonesia is one of the most diverse countries in the world, be it in
language, ethnicity or religion. Another example of this is the predominantly Hindu island of
Bali. If a Hindu converts to Christianity, there is strong pressure from family, friends and
neighbors to return to the belief of their fathers.
Drivers of persecution
Drivers of persecution in Indonesia
Government officials at any level from local to national Strong
Ethnic group leaders Very Weak
Non-Christian religious leaders at any level from local to national Very Strong
Christian religious leaders at any level from local to national Very Weak
Violent religious groups Very Strong
Ideological pressure groups Weak
Normal citizens (people from the general public), including mobs Very Strong
Own (extended) family Medium
Political parties at any level from local to national Strong
Revolutionaries or paramilitary groups Not at all
Organized crime cartels or networks Not at all
Multilateral organizations (e.g. UN) and embassies Not at all
Persecution comes from radical Islamic religious leaders, who instigate hatred against
Christians and other religious minorities via their teaching in mosques and in the mass media
as well. Several conservative Muslim political parties, e.g. the PKS, are known to push their
agenda for an Islamic nation. Their representatives in the legislation are often behind the
drafting and passing of Sharia-inspired policies (including in the field of education), although
they have but a small electorate. More influential are radical Islamic pressure groups like the
FPI. They are able to mobilize hundreds of thousands for street demonstrations, they are also
used by some politicians and parties to gain electoral leverage. The government per se is not a
driver of persecution at the national level. The difficulties arise when it comes to the
implementation of policies at the local level and to confrontations with radical Islamic pressure
groups.
13
See: http://thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/one-14-high-school-students-support-islamic-state/, last accessed 20 December 2016.
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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Context President Joko Widodo faced considerable challenges in the WWL 2018 reporting period. The
ousting of Jakarta Governor Ahok (mentioned above) was also a warning shot to Ahok’s long-
term ally, Jokowi, and points to an already heated atmosphere in the run-up to the national
elections in 2019.14 While Jokowi's approval rates with 60% are still surprisingly high, given
that the end of his first presidential term is coming close, his largest challenge may become a
weakening economy.15 But he will be attacked in person as well, as was shown in July 2017,
when his 22 year-old son has been called in by police for questioning due to blasphemy
allegations.16 The fact that Governor Ahok won the first round17 of gubernatorial elections in
Jakarta, despite all protests from radical Islamic groups, shows that people are fed up with
corruption and want politicians to improve their living standards and not to fill their own
pockets. The person who had doctored Ahok’s speech, put the video online and created the
outcry, has since been sentenced18 to 18 months in prison (in November 2017).
Indonesia still struggles with the violent threat radical Islamic groups continue to pose. In July
2017, a bomb attack in Jakarta killed three police officers,19 more bomb attacks were foiled.
Merely prohibiting20 radical movements will not be enough, especially as war veterans will be
returning from IS battlefields in Iraq, Syria and Marawi (Philippines).
Other religious groups suffering persecution are the Muslim minority groups Ahmadi and Shia.
They have also come under scrutiny by both the authorities and radical Islamic groups.
Adherents to traditional indigenous religions used not to be recognized by the authorities, but
this may change due to the recent ruling of the Constitutional Court (see “National sphere”).
Christian communities and how they are affected Communities of expatriate Christians:
These groups are not involuntarily isolated from local Christians and are therefore not
considered as a separate category for WWL purposes.
Historical Christian communities:
14
See: http://www.rsis.edu.sg/rsis-publication/rsis/co17073-2017-jakarta-election-and-indonesias-democracy-jakartas-contentious-election-what-anies-baswedans-victory-means/#.WdZ3DH-WxZV, last accessed 30 September 2017.
15 See: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia-politics/after-political-storm-indonesia-president-faces-economic-clouds-idUSKCN1BF07S?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews, last accessed 30 September 2017.
16 See: http://www.benarnews.org/english/news/indonesian/indonesia-jokowi-07072017181416.html, last accessed 30 September 2017.
17 See: https://www.cnbc.com/2017/02/15/jakarta-election-heads-for-second-round-as-christian-governor-holds-narrow-lead.html, last accessed 30 September 2017.
18 See: http://www.benarnews.org/english/news/indonesian/indonesia-politics-11142017175623.html, last accessed 16 December 2018.
19 See: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/24/jakarta-suicide-bombers-kill-three-police-officers-in-bus-station-attack, last accessed 30 September 2017.
20 See: http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Jakarta-approves-law-prohibiting-radical-Islamist-groups-41266.html, last accessed 30 September 2017
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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These are groups such as the Roman Catholic Church, but also churches related to several
ethnicities (such as the Batak Christian Protestant Church). They are monitored and experience
persecution once it is noted that they are growing. The historical churches in poorer regions
like Papua, East Nusa Tenggara and Mentawai are subject to aggressive Islamization attempts,
especially among children, as Islamic mission efforts get bolder.
Communities of converts to Christianity:
Converts to Christianity in Indonesia come mainly (but not exclusively) from a Muslim
background and face the most severe persecution, especially in the hot-spot areas. There, they
are closely monitored and try to blend in with the surrounding society. If their conversion is
discovered, they are put under pressure to give up their new faith. Pressure comes from
family, friends, community and local authorities. Another driver of persecution are Islamic
radical groups.
Non-traditional Christian communities:
The main congregations in these category are Baptist, Evangelical and Pentecostal. They are
made conspicuous by their often fervent propagation of the Christian message, which leads
them to be targeted by communities and radical groups alike. Building or renovating a church
can be fraught with difficulties – the authorities must issue a permit and Islamic groups and
neighbors will often attempt to hinder the actual building process. (However, Catholic
churches can face the very same problems with building permissions.)
Pressure in the 5 spheres of life and violence
(The maximum score for each block is 16.7)
The WWL 2018 Persecution pattern for Indonesia shows:
10.3 11.0
11.5
10.0 9.3
6.9
10.4
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Private Family Community National Church Violence
Nu
mb
er
of
po
ints
Spheres of life
WWL 2018 Persecution Pattern for Indonesia
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
14
Overall, the pressure on Christians in Indonesia increased in all spheres of life, causing
the average pressure to be at a high level. It rose from a score of 9.6 in WWL 2017 to
10.4 in WWL 2018. (Compared to WWL 2017, pressure increased most in the Family
sphere, closely followed by the National sphere.)
Pressure is strongest in the Community and Family spheres followed by the Private
sphere. This pattern is typical in situations where Christian converts from a Muslim
background draw the most persecution. The increase in points in the National sphere
(from 8.9 in WWL 2017 to 10.0) reflects the increasing influence of radical Islamic
groups in national life as well as the stricter implementation of blasphemy laws against
a prominent politician and Christian. Violence against Christians remained exactly on the same level as in WWL 2017 (6.9),
although the WWL 2018 reporting period started with a bomb attack against a church
in Samarinda, killing a two year old. Apart from that, there were also other churches
closed, damaged and/or destroyed.
Private sphere:
While traditional Christians enjoy freedom from fear to live their Christian life, the situation for
converts from Islam is different. Converts always have to be careful in the way they worship,
especially if they are the only believers in their family. Bibles and other Christian literature
have to be hidden carefully, and can only be read secretly to avoid conflict. Fellowship with
other Christians can become challenging in these circumstances, as they bring themselves and
people around them into danger. The situation is different in big cities or in Christian enclaves.
On the other hand, other types of Christianity also face limitations in worshipping or
expressing their faith in hot-spot areas in Indonesia. In these areas, Christians are closely
monitored as are known converts; the latter are subjected to house arrest and physical or
mental abuse. This is most common in hotspot areas like Aceh, East Java, Banten, West Java
and West Sumatra.
Family sphere:
Converts sometimes have to register their children with the majority religion. Changing their
religion often draws many questions, suspicion and pressure from the community and, at
times, even from the local authorities. It also exposes them to the authorities and the growing
radical Islamic groups. When converts are discovered, they often face the threat of divorce and
loss of their inheritance rights, which happens to Hindu converts as well. Organizing a baptism,
wedding or funeral can become difficult or even impossible in the hotspot areas, especially for
converts.21 Christians that live in enclaves or in big cities like Jakarta and Surabaya, are able to
obtain Christian education for their children. However, in provinces where Christians are the
minority, there are more difficulties. Children of Christian parents in general are forced to
attend Islamic lessons, and be examined in the subject; sometimes this is also due to a lack of
Christian teachers. Christian students are frequently discriminated against. Many Muslim
21
On the subject of funerals, an illustration of rising Islamic radicalism can be found in the following report: After the recent “Ahok” case, some radical Muslim leaders refused to celebrate Islamic funerals for any Muslims who showed support for Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama. Posters marking this campaign were seen publicly in many places all over Indonesia, even Jakarta.
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
15
families forbid their children to play with Christian children. Converts can be isolated from
their families and even be cast out by them.
Community sphere:
Converts face strong pressure from their family, friends and neighbors to recant the Christian
faith, though conversion is not forbidden by law. Chiefly in areas like Aceh and other hot-spot
areas, Christians experience discrimination in their private lives as well as in their business lives
and are urged to follow Sharia law. In such areas, Christian activities are closely watched by
neighbors and Islamic radical groups. In some parts of Indonesia, developers build a housing
complex for Muslim residents only and non-Muslims are forbidden to rent or buy a house in
that complex. According to reports obtained in 2017, some doctors did not want to touch
Christian patients or visit a Christian villager's house as it is considered forbidden (haram) for
Muslims to touch them. Children of Christian parents report facing discrimination on behalf of
teachers and peers in schools and are even denied scholarships and receive poorer marks in
religious education. This is done in order to keep such students from meeting the minimum
requirements to become a civil servant. Consequently, few Christians make it into the civil
service and many experience discrimination in their business lives. Many churches in Indonesia
are forced to pay "uang keamanan" (security money) to radical groups in exchange for being
able to conduct Sunday services.
National sphere:
The Constitution does not limit the freedom of Christians; but it recognizes only six faiths:
Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism. However, the
Constitutional Court stated clearly in a verdict on 7 November 2017, that all religions have to
be treated equally22, including indigenous religions. Legislation on a local level often restricts
religious freedom further. The attitude against Christians is often negative, and even in more
tolerant cities like Jakarta, Christian public servants are often discriminated against because of
their faith. Christian NGOs can be freely founded, but some Islamic organizations promote bad
press against them. Though the country enjoys a free and diverse press, several Islamic media
outlets have run smear campaigns and spread fear and hatred towards Christians. One
example of this is the campaign against the Chinese. This proved very successful against the
ethnically Chinese Christian governor of Jakarta: He ended up in prison and the campaign even
caused the government to propose broadening a new draft blasphemy law23, leaving Christians
to wonder where this may end: If even such a high-ranking and well-connected politician like
Ahok cannot escape such wrong accusations, how much less can the average Christian?
Church sphere:
Churches face massive problems in the registration of congregations and in the construction of
church-buildings. Based on the revised Joint Ministerial Decree of 2006, a church can only
operate if: i) its congregation has at least 90 members, ii) it has the consent of 60 neighbors
from another faith, and iii) it has the approval of both the regency chief (administrative
22
See: https://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/coe/indonesia-high-court-milestone-ruling-religious-freedom/, last accessed 29 November 2017.
23 See: https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/07/20/indonesia-religious-rights-bill-would-harm-minorities, last accessed 30 September 2017.
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
16
subdivision of a province) and the inter-faith harmony forum. Many churches find the permit
extremely hard to obtain, even if they have met all the necessary requirements. And if they do
manage to receive the permit, there is no guarantee of protection from the government and
local police. In one case, the congregation filed its application five years ago and has never
received any response from the authorities. In other cases, radical groups simply block the
entrance of church buildings and hinder access. Based on a survey by the National Commission
on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), 85% of worship buildings in Indonesia have no proper
permit, especially in rural areas. This includes mosques, churches and the houses of worship of
other religions. Prior to building a church, the government of Aceh requires the congregation
to collect 150 signatures from neighbors of a different religious background. In the province of
Banten, there has been a provincial regulation issued by the governor to prohibit the presence
of churches, demanding that Christian meetings are limited to the capital city of Serang. In
general, producing or distributing religious materials and Bibles is no problem, but there are
exceptions in the hot-spot areas where distributing Bibles to non-Christians may be considered
proselytization.
Violence:
The WWL 2018 reporting period started sadly with the bombing of a church in Samarinda on
13 November 2016, in which a two-year-old toddler was killed and three others wounded.24 In
May 2017 Jakarta’s Christian governor of Chinese ethnicity “Ahok”, was arrested and
sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on charges of alleged blasphemy.
Gender profile of persecution No data currently available.
Future outlook Indonesia faces very interesting and maybe even decisive times. The fact, that ethnic and
religious affiliations were used for political gains without concern for the consequences,
shocked many Indonesians and significantly harmed the country's international image of
sponsoring a tolerant brand of Islam. And there are more worrying signs ahead. Propaganda
from the Islamic State group (IS) has been in use by school-children,25 indoctrinating them at a
very early age. Also, since the state-owned Saudi Fund for Development will be pouring out 14
billion US Dollars for social aid26 (including funding for businesses, education and religion), the
intolerant and radical Wahhabi brand of Islam will continue to spread across the islands. In
August 2017, the Jakarta governor-elect, Anies Rasyid Baswedan, only called upon the radical
Islamic group FPI to protect religious and cultural diversity,27 which makes it hard to believe
24
See: https://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/coe/2-year-old-girl-dead-after-indonesia-church-attack/, last accessed 30 September 2017.
25 See: http://zeenews.india.com/world/indonesia-says-seized-islamic-state-propaganda-likely-used-by-children-2020120.html, last accessed 30 September 2017.
26 See: https://www.ucanews.com/news/saudi-funding-of-indonesian-education-fuels-concerns/80083, last accessed 30 September 2017.
27 See: https://www.ucanews.com/news/jakarta-governor-elect-under-fire-for-embracing-hardliners/80092, last accessed 30 September 2017.
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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that radical Islamic groups will be restricted in any way. This is true, even if at least one of its
leaders is currently involved in a potential scandal: FPI leader Rizieq Shihab, who studied in
Saudi Arabia and was recently travelling there when he was accused of involvement in a case
of pornography28. Indonesia’s largest Islamic organization, Nadhlatul Ulama (NU), is mired in a
struggle29 about its theological direction. Many younger clerics view the relatively liberal brand
of Islam Nusantara (a.k.a. “Islam of the Islands”) as not being compatible with classic Islamic
theology and values. Several of those young clerics have formed a group within NU, calling
itself the ‘True Path’. All this shows that in Indonesia, Islamic oppression as well as Organized
corruption and crime are gaining strength.
Although President Jokowi has been highly applauded for his commitment to invest in
development for the whole country (not only the West but also the so-called underdeveloped
East like Papua), he is unfortunately very silent on religious issues. Some observers say that he
is playing it safe as he is also a target for the same political enemies that brought Ahok down.
Seeing the widening rift between radical Islamic groups, the moderate Muslim majority and
minority religious groups in society, the government has been launching media campaigns
about “One-Indonesia”, reviving the old national tagline of unity-in-diversity. How effective
these campaigns are at grassroots-level is highly questionable: The new governor of Jakarta,
for instance, seemed to contradict this and used racial undertones30 in his inaugural speech by
saying: “All of us natives have been oppressed, pushed aside. Now is the time for us to become
the masters in the country of Indonesia.” And in a separate development, results have been
published from an October 2017 poll among university and high-school students, in which
around a quarter of all participants agreed that „Islamic State“ ideology is worth fighting for31
and that a caliphate would be the preferable state system. This all goes to show that Indonesia
is in danger of losing its reputation of following a tolerant brand of Islam. Given that major
elections are coming in June 2018 and 2019, it remains to be seen if politicians can withstand
the temptation of wooing radical Muslims to increase their vote-bank. Moderate Islamic
organizations like Nadhlatul Ulama or Muhammadiyah need to become more active too.
Policy considerations
The government of Indonesia should ensure that it continues to promote the values of
tolerance and pluralism, in particular as it steps up efforts to maintain public order and
security. Such policies should safeguard Freedom of Religion or Belief, and seek to
tackle the propagation of radical Islam and media smear campaigns aimed at inciting
hatred and unrest.
28
See: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/08/19/rizieq-wants-to-go-home-after-being-questioned-in-saudi.html, last accessed 30 September 2017.
29 See: http://www.rsis.edu.sg/rsis-publication/rsis/co17018-politics-plurality-and-inter-group-relations-in-indonesia-islam-nusantara-its-critics-the-rise-of-nus-young-clerics/#.WdaFzX-WxZU, last accessed 30 September 2017.
30 See: http://www.benarnews.org/english/news/indonesian/indonesia-politics-10162017183054.html, last accessed 29 November 2017.
31 See: http://www.benarnews.org/english/news/indonesian/indonesia-militants-10312017181359.html, last accessed 29 November 2017.
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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The government should draft and enforce a policy that curbs the spread of teachings
on religious radicalism, violence, and intolerance in the educational system, especially
public schools, and instead promote teachings on tolerance and diversity.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and international community
should cooperate closely with Indonesia to develop a plan for dealing with radical
Islamic fighters returning from Syria and Iraq.
The international community should urge the Indonesian government and its
legislative body to abolish any legal disposition that restricts freedom of religion.
Islamic by-laws are in force in many regions and territories and the province of Aceh is
ruled by Sharia law. These legal dispositions contradict the core principles of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in particular in relation to freedom of religion.
The government should do all that is in its power to prevent and punish the violence of
radical Islamic groups against houses of worship of religious minorities, including
Christians. In addition, the government should dissolve civil society groups that spread
violence in the name of Islam.
The government should remove any administrative or practical obstacles regarding the
registration of church buildings.
The international community should urge the Indonesian government to repeal its
blasphemy laws as they continue to be abused by radical Islamic groups.
WWR in-depth reports
Currently unvailable for Indonesia
(http://opendoorsanalytical.org/reports/ password: freedom)
Open Doors article(s) from the region
Currently unvailable for Indonesia
(http://opendoorsanalytical.org/articles/ password: freedom)
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
19
World Watch Monitor news articles
Up-to-date articles are available at:
https://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/countries/indonesia/
Persecuted Christians celebrate Easter with mixed emotions
3 April 2018
Easter this year was a time of mixed emotions for the Christians who live under
pressure for their faith. … People in Indonesia defied fears of growing Islamist
extremism when Muslims joined Christians in celebrating Holy Week, including dance
performances by dozens of young Muslims.
Indonesia church bomb attack victim Trinity, 5, healing well, father says
29 March 2018
Trinity and her friends were playing outside Oikumene Church in Samarinda, in
Indonesia’s East Kalimantan province in November 2016, when an Islamic extremist
threw a Molotov cocktail near them.
Ahok to stay in jail, Indonesian Supreme Court rules
28 March 2018
Indonesia’s Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by the Christian former governor of
Jakarta to review his two-year prison sentence.
Ahok ‘victim of cyber jihad against Indonesian government’
13 March 2018
The Christian former governor of Jakarta who was jailed for blasphemy may have been
a victim of a sophisticated anti-government campaign of “fake news” and malicious
bots.
Pre-election ‘warning’ attack on Indonesian church
13 March 2018
An attack on a church in Indonesia by vandals has been described as a “political
warning” ahead of upcoming regional elections.
Indonesia Christians’ whipping a rare example of non-Muslims punished under Sharia
2 March 2018
Two Indonesian Christians were whipped in public earlier this week.
Indonesia: Ahok’s appeal ‘last chance’ to clear name
26 February 2018
A first appeal hearing in the blasphemy case of the Christian former governor of
Jakarta was held today (26 February) in what could prove his only chance to challenge
the verdict.
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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Indonesia: Ahok asks Supreme Court to review his blasphemy sentence
21 February 2018
The Christian former Governor of Jakarta has appealed his blasphemy conviction to
Indonesia’s Supreme Court. A court spokesman said on 20 February that it had
received a request for a judicial review.
Indonesia church attacker acted alone, police say
15 February 2018
The man accused of injuring four people in an attack on an Indonesian church on
Sunday morning (11 February) acted alone and obtained the weapon – a one-metre-
long sword – in exchange for his mobile phone, police say.
Indonesia: Catholics forced to stop aid work after accusations of converting
Muslims
2 February 2018
Catholics from a church in the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta have been accused of
proselytism while distributing aid packages to the local mostly Muslim community.
Indonesia’s president tells Catholic students to work for ‘harmony’ 25 January 2018
Indonesia’s president, Joko Widodo, opened the 30th Catholic students congress in
Palembang, on the island of Sumatra, this week by telling them to work together for
“peace” and “harmony”.
Indonesia sees reduction in religious freedom violations 24 January 2018
In its ‘2017 Report on Religious Freedom and Religious Minorities in Indonesia’, the
Setara Institute said state actors (government, police, educational institutions) were
responsible for 75 violations (140 in 2016), while 126 were caused by individuals or
groups. Chief among offending groups were hardline Islamic groups such as the
Indonesian Ulema Council and Islamic Defenders Front.
Indonesian archbishop calls for ‘national unity’ 10 January 2018 In his New Year’s message the Archbishop of Jakarta has called for “national unity” in
Indonesia after a year that saw religious and political divisions deepen.
Indonesian Christians oppose new Jakarta Governor’s Christmas event
19 December 2017
The Council of Churches in Indonesia has opposed a Christmas event organised by
Jakarta’s new Islamist governor, reports Asia News.
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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Indonesia church leader charged with blasphemy
14 December 2017
An Indonesian church leader has been charged with blasphemy and could face five
years in prison. Rev. Abraham Ben Moses, 52, was arrested after he was caught on
video speaking to a taxi driver about his Christian faith.
Indonesian children still in recovery mode one year after church bombing
14 December 2017
Three-year-old Anita Sihotang is still too scared to leave her house. It has been just
over a year since a terrorist threw a Molotov cocktail into the grounds of the church
yard where she was playing in Indonesia’s East Kalimantan province. The explosion
killed one of her friends and seriously injured two others.
Indonesia: Vote only for Muslims in 2018/19, say hardliners
6 December 2017
Hardline Islamic leaders have called on Indonesians to vote only for Muslim candidates
at the regional and presidential elections over the next two years, reports UCA News.
Indonesia: Ahok’s accuser found guilty of hate speech
23 November 2017
A key figure behind the jailing of the Christian former Governor of Jakarta for
blasphemy has been sentenced to one and a half years in jail for hate speech. The
communications professor at the London School in Central Jakarta, had previously
admitted to having doctored a video in which the then-governor, Basuki “Ahok”
Tjahaja Purnama, warned voters against people using Quranic verses for political gain.
Mutual respect’ needed to combat radicalisation in Indonesia 10 November 2017
Religious leaders should be more involved in creating an inclusive and pluralistic
Indonesia and “leave the ‘comfort zone’” of their community, Catholic bishops were
told at a conference this week.
Indonesia High Court in ‘milestone’ ruling for religious freedom
9 November 2017
In a “milestone” ruling, Indonesia’s High Court on 7 November 2017 said all religious
groups should be treated equally before the law in the world’s most populous Muslim-
majority nation, and that failing to do so would be “unconstitutional”.
Indonesia: ‘zero flexibility’ for adoptions by religious minorities
27 October 2017
Religious minorities in Indonesia are discriminated against when they want to adopt,
according to Human Rights Watch’s report, which highlights the case of a Christian
policewoman from North Sumatra.
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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Indonesia: Jakarta’s new governor urged to protect rights of religious minorities 27 October 2017
As Jakarta’s new governor, Anies Baswedan, starts his new job, he should use his role
“to protect and promote human rights in the Indonesian capital”, writes Human Rights
Watch in a letter addressed to him.
Indonesia: Christians cancel event Muslims say would have been ‘arena of
apostasy’ 25 October 2017
Indonesian Christians planning to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Protestant
Christianity were forced to abandon a stadium event following threats from Muslim
hardliners.
ASEAN nations told to ‘end blasphemy laws that inspire violence’
4 October 2017
On its 50th anniversary, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should
repeal blasphemy laws, release prisoners of conscience and strengthen interfaith
relationships, says the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
UN calls for abolition of death penalty for blasphemy and apostasy 3 October 2017
The UN Human Rights Council last week passed a new resolution, demanding the
abolition of the death penalty for apostasy and blasphemy. Indonesia was one of the
seven nations who abstained. In recent months, Indonesia has been challenged to
accept 225 recommendations from the United Nations.
Indonesia: ‘Saudi influence behind rise in Islamic extremism’, as churches
continue to be closed 19 September 2017
In his article for the Lausanne Movement, Professor Paul Marshall says Saudi Arabia
plays a major role in the growth of radical Islamism in Indonesia by offering “a well-
funded network of schools, scholarships, imams, and mosques that try to replace local
interpretations of Islam, which have usually encouraged democracy and peaceful
relations between religions, with Saudi Wahhabism”.
Indonesia ‘to guarantee rights of religious minorities’
4 August 2017
Indonesia is drafting a law that will guarantee the rights of religious minorities in the
country, according to the head of the country’s Ministry of Religion’s Interfaith
Harmony Forum.
INDONESIA – WWL 2018 COUNTRY DOSSIER – APRIL 2018
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Indonesia: religious minorities ‘fearful’ of growing intolerance, says report
1 August 2017
A new report by Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) into religious freedom in
Indonesia finds religious minorities are fearful that their country’s reputation as a
“tolerant Muslim-majority nation” is being undermined by radical Islam’s growing
influence on politics and society.
Indonesia bans Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir
20 July 2017
The Indonesian government has ordered the disbandment of the Islamist group Hizb
ut-Tahrir “to protect Indonesia’s unity”, according to Freddy Hari, director-general of
the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, as Al Jazeera reports.
Protests as Indonesia cracks down on ‘groups that threaten state ideology’
17 July 2017
In a move that has been severely criticised by civil society organisations, Indonesia on
10 July introduced a new law that allows the government to disband certain groups
that threaten the state’s secular ideology.
Indonesian schoolchildren ‘likely’ used notebooks containing IS propaganda
11 July 2017
Hundreds of notebooks were seized during an investigation into the stabbing to death
of a policeman in Medan, North Sumatra province on 25 June. A message at the top of
each page read: “You are obliged to go to war”. Each had on its cover a quote
attributed to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, alongside his picture.
Aged four and scarred for life: the children who survived Indonesian church
attack
16 June 2017
The children had been playing after Sunday school in the grounds of their church in
Samarinda, East Borneo, on 13 November 2016. The suspect, Juhanda bin Muhammad
Aceng, reportedly threw the bomb into the church grounds as the children waited for
their parents.
Indonesia’s social and political fabric stretched as bombs hit Jakarta
25 May 2017
Churches in Jakarta are on high alert after Indonesia’s capital was the target yesterday
(24 May) for two suicide bombers.
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Jakarta’s Christian ex-governor drops blasphemy appeal ‘for sake of the
people’
23 May 2017
Jakarta’s Christian ex-governor has withdrawn his appeal against his two-year prison
sentence for blasphemy in a controversial case that has challenged religious pluralism
in Indonesia, with repeated clashes between Ahok’s supporters and radical Islamic
groups.
Widespread condemnation for prison sentence of Ahok
10 May 2017
Tuesday’s verdict of an Indonesian court, sentencing Jakarta’s outgoing governor
Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, known as ‘Ahok’, to two years in prison for blasphemy, has
received widespread condemnation globally as politicians, academics and rights
groups express their concern about religious pluralism in Indonesia.
Jakarta’s governor, Ahok, jailed for 2 years for blasphemy 9 May 2017
An Indonesian court has sentenced Jakarta’s outgoing governor Basuki Tjahaja
Purnama, known as ‘Ahok’, to two years in prison for blasphemy. The sentence is
higher than the prosecutors had asked for.
Indonesia: Ahok’s blasphemy charges reduced after failed re-election bid
21 April 2017
Prosecutors have downgraded the blasphemy charges and recommend that, if he is
found guilty, Ahok will serve no prison time.
Indonesia’s Christian governor Ahok fails in re-election bid, as ‘blasphemy’ trial
continues
19 April 2017
Preliminary results suggest that Jakarta’s Christian governor, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama
(better known as “Ahok”), has failed in his re-election bid, as his trial for “blasphemy”
goes on. His rival, Anies Rasiyd Baswedan, a former education minister and a Muslim,
is reported to have won 58 per cent of the votes.
Jakarta’s Christian governor reveals repeated sectarian attacks at trial testing
Indonesia’s pluralism
5 April 2017
The Indonesian Christian governor on trial for blasphemy said yesterday (4 April) that
he has been the target of racist and religious attacks since he was elected to public
office in 2005.
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Concerns about tolerant Indonesia: 3 more churches closed
22 March 2017
Indonesian authorities in Bogor, West Java, have banned three churches from holding
religious activities. According to UCANews the Methodist Church Indonesia, Huria
Batak Protestant Church and a house used by Catholics for catechism classes were
ordered to close their doors.
Indonesia President blames democracy for ills
2 March 2017
Joko Widodo has stated that democracy has “gone too far” and that “political freedom
paved the way for extreme political practices”.
Ahok wins vote, but not enough for re-election
16 February 2017
Jakarta’s Christian governor recorded the most votes in the Indonesian capital’s
gubernatorial elections yesterday (15 February), but failed to achieve the 50%
necessary to secure his re-election.
‘I’d prefer if my leader is a Muslim’ 13 February 2017
Tens of thousands of Muslims have taken to the streets of Jakarta in recent days in an
attempt to persuade Indonesians not to re-elect the capital city’s Christian governor.
Indonesian church closed for years told: you can reopen if mosque allowed on
your land
10 February 2017
An Indonesian church closed for years by order of the local mayor has been told it can
reopen if a mosque is also allowed on its premises. The GKI Yasmin Church in Bogor,
60km south of Jakarta, had resorted to holding open-air services outside the
Presidential palace in Jakarta in protest.
Extremism inside Indonesia’s largest Islamic group
2 February 2017
There are fears that the largest Islamic organisation in Indonesia (Islamic Defenders
Front) is becoming increasingly conservative in its views.
Indonesia Christians seek action against Islamists
25 January 2017
Indonesia’s Christian leaders have urged the country’s president, Joko Widodo, to take
action the radical Islamist group accused of being responsible for a series of violent
attacks against Christians.
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Christian removed from role after Muslim protests
16 January 2017
Indonesian authorities have removed a Catholic from his role as the head of a sub-
district after protests from Muslim residents at the appointment of a Christian.
Indonesia religious freedom violation ‘increasing’
13 January 2017
Indonesia has shown a steady increase in violations of religious freedom over the past
year, according to the country’s National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas
HAM).
Indonesia: Islamists stop Christmas celebrations
14 December 2016
An Indonesian church’s Christmas celebrations were stopped on 6 Dec. by members of
a local Islamist group in Bandung, who protested that such services should take place
in a church, not a public space.
Indonesian Christian governor insists ‘no insult intended’ as ‘blasphemy’ trial
begins
13 December 2016
Christian Governor Ahok’s trial began today and is widely seen as a test of the world’s
most populous Muslim-majority nation’s stance on religious freedom. It was broadcast
live on TV.
Indonesia’s only Christian governor questioned by police amid ‘blasphemy’
furore 29 November 2016
The only Christian governor in Indonesia is being investigated by police as a suspect in
a blasphemy case, amid on-going calls from Muslim groups for his imprisonment.
2-year-old girl dead after Indonesia church attack
15 November 2016
A two-year-old girl has died after suffering 75% burns following an attack by an alleged
Islamic extremist on a church in Borneo, Indonesia. It was the second explosion at a
church in Indonesia this year.
‘Worship in the woods’ a year after Islamic extremists destroy Aceh churches
10 November 2016
Churches destroyed a year ago by Islamic extremists and police in Aceh Singkil – a rural
‘regency’ in Indonesia’s only Sharia-ruled province – have still not been rebuilt because
of discrimination against Christians by local authorities, say church leaders.
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Indonesia: Christian Governor accused of blasphemy
7 November 2016
Thousands of hardline Muslims turned violent during a protest calling for the
prosecution of Jakarta’s Christian Governor over comments he allegedly made about
the Quran. An estimated 50,000 took part in the rally.
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Recent country developments Up-to-date articles are available at: http://opendoorsanalytical.org/?s=Indonesia (password: freedom)
Indonesia: Racial comments and radical ideology
28 November 2017
According to Benar News reporting on 17 October 2017, the new governor of Jakarta,
Anies Baswedan, used racial undertones in his inaugural speech.
Indonesia: Saudi Arabia’s investment in largest Muslim country to increase
27 September 2017
As UCA News reported on 25 August 2017, the state-owned Saudi Fund for Development plans to bring 14 billion USD of social aid into Indonesia.
Indonesia: Draft blasphemy law restricts activities of religious minorities
18 August 2017
According to Human Rights Watch reporting on 20 July 2017, the draft for a new blasphemy law is being discussed by the Indonesian government.
Indonesia: Radical Islam evident in schools
10 August 2017
As Zee News reported on 1 July 2017, Indonesian authorities have discovered that propaganda from the Islamic State group (IS) has been in use by school-children.
Indonesia: Curbing radical Islam is an up-hill battle
9 August 2017
As reported by Asia News on 9 June and 12 July 2017, President Joko Widodo is trying
to fight the influence of radical Islamic groups in Indonesia.
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Indonesia: “Wealthy Chinese are next”
1 June 2017
As Reuters reported on 12 May 2017, the Saudi-trained cleric and influential chairman
of the National Movement to Safeguard the Fatwas of the Indonesian Ulemas Council
(GNPF-MUI), Bachtiar Nasir, has declared that “wealthy Chinese” would be targeted
next.
Indonesia: Jailed former governor withdraws appeal
31 May 2017
As Reuters reported on 23 May 2017, the former governor of Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja
Purnama (“Ahok”), who was jailed on 9 May 2017 for two years on charges of
blasphemy, has withdrawn his appeal against the sentence.
Indonesia: Jakarta governor sentenced to two years imprisonment for alleged
blasphemy
24 May 2017
Jakartas Governor “Ahok” has been sentenced to two years in prison for alleged
blasphemy uttered in a speech at Kepulauan Seribu (off the coast of Jakarta) in late
September 2016.
Indonesia: No longer a tolerant Muslim country
7 May 2017
Following the “dirtiest and most polarizing” election campaign, Christian candidate Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (Ahok) was clearly defeated on 19 April 2017.
Indonesia: Second round of governor elections preceded by protests
18 April 2017
AP News reported that an estimated 15,000 Muslim protesters gathered in Jakarta on 31 March 2017 to show their opposition to the current governor of Jakarta.
Indonesia: Christian wins first round of elections despite blasphemy charges
17 February 2017
Despite facing serious blasphemy charges, Jakarta’s Governor “Ahok” won the first round of gubernatorial elections in Jakarta securing 43.08% of the votes.
Indonesia: Growing concerns about radical Islamic groups
10 February 2017
After Indonesian police had foiled a Christmas suicide-bombing on 21 December 2016, Christian leaders were able to meet with President Joko Widodo on 18 January.
Indonesia: Blasphemy case against Christian governor continues
25 January 2017
The blasphemy case against Jakarta’s Governor “Ahok” is likely to last for several
months, according to Reuters, reporting on 27 December 2016.
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Indonesia: Blasphemy hoax stirs political unrest
24 November 2016
As reported by Reuters on 5 November 2016, violent protests were incited by a video uploaded to Facebook by a former communications professor, Buni Yani, in which the words of the Christian governor were deliberately manipulated to make them sound offensive to Islam.
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