A Reflection of Plurality

and Intolerance in Yogyakarta

January 11, 2016 at hall of Ministry of Religion

Yogyakarta Province

Wahid Institute noted that Yogya was on the second rank of intolerant region throughout 2014 – 2015. Violence in the name of religion occurred in several places. Of course, this violent incidents were related with the tag-line of Yogya as 'The City of Tolerance'. However, the observers of harmony were not keep silent. They responded and did some actions to maintain and strengthen peace and harmony in Yogyakarta.

On Monday, January 11, 2016, three institutions covering Dian Interfidei, Independent Journalist Alliance (AJI) and Ministry of Religion held a reflection together held at hall of Ministry of Religion. Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta with students and youth groups, community groups, and other organizations in Yogyakarta area attended the meeting. They came and listened the explanation delivered by three speakers.

The first speaker was Tommy Apriando (the coordinator of the Advocacy Division AJI Yogyakarta). The second speaker was Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan, Ph.D (Expert on Islamic Law and Terrorism). The third speaker was Agung Supriyono, SH, the head of Politic & National Unity Yogyakarta.

Tommy Apriando revealed that public media gave big interest in the life and harmony of society so disruption and violence became the main topic. Tommy admitted that editor of a media is always careful in his reports. The published information should avoid hatred and misperceptions among community. Because of this prudence, for some reasons, the reports were not aired or published in public media. It was an answer for a question asking about media reports on religious violence.

Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan told his experience when he studied in Netherlands. There was no discrimination of religion. After he came back to Indonesia, his son has been able to identify neighbors based on their religion easily. Prof. Noorhaidi appreciated a plan to delete religion column in any administrative bureaucracy. The interesting point was a hope towards state law officers. According to him, violence should not happen in the private sphere. Violence action if it is necessary should only be done by the state officer (police) for the sake of public order. The police’s duty is to enforce the law. Freedom of religion is already guaranteed by State Act, the police are entitled to take actions (law enforcement) to secure the situation. If there is violence, it is the police time to act.

Politic & National Unity bureau of Yogyakarta province mapped that 3.7 million residents of Yogyakarta do activities in various fields. Yogyakarta magnetizes people to live here. The increase population will also lead the increase of the risk of crime if it is not be anticipated. The program activities of Politic & National Unity bureau covers advocacy and mediation in religious life in DIY.

The last session, the police officer gave response and admitted that their firmness need to be improved. Police has many cases that should be handled, because police's duty covers all lines of life.

Those are the life of our plurality. We all hope that it will be well-maintained and become the basis for harmony in Yogyakarta and Indonesia in the big scope. However, friendliness and interaction among people will be the effective way to defuse tension and radicalism in interreligious relationship. (YDA).