Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, Jakarta – Though independent for 62 years, the country still witnesses frequent attempts to disrupt religious harmony, leaders of various faiths said Saturday.
Some authorities still remain "aloof" when people disturb followers of other faiths, one leader said during a gathering of here to commemorate Independence Day. The leaders did not cite any specific incidents.
Theophilus Bela, secretary-general of the Indonesian Committee for Religion and Peace, said the government "should take proactive measures to prevent the further burning of churches or mosques in several provinces. People need more protection while sometimes the authorities just stay aloof," Theophilus, also a representative of the Jakarta Christian Forum Community, said.
The leaders issued a statement expressing "conviction" that a strong unitary state could only materialize with the "guarantee" of Indonesia's pluralism as "social capital" for the nation.
Meetings of religious leaders should eventually "prevent terrorist actions and disintegration", said Din Syamsudin, who chairs Muslim organization Muhammadiyah.
He said religious figures were aware they still had much to do to inspire peace among the public, given recurring incidents of interfaith friction.
These incidents include a protest by Muslims against a planned religious gathering in Karmel Valley, a scenic resort in Cianjur, West Java, some 120 kilometers southeast of Jakarta. The resort was to host an international religious gathering in late July.
Protesters threatened to forcefully disperse the gathering, which they said could incite "restlessness" given that Cianjur regency is heavily Muslim. Police stopped the protesters before they arrived at the site.
Din, also chairman of the interfaith committee, said people should note "the aspirations of our founding fathers, which was to implement our state ideology Pancasila".
On Thursday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in his state of the union address that the state ideology, whose five points include belief in one God and respect for human rights, functioned to unite the nation and strengthen society.
He said the principle of "diversity in unity" must be constantly applied in daily life to safeguard pluralism.
The interfaith committee, comprising 19 religious groups, also stated that many Indonesians had yet to really taste the fruit of independence. "There is still poverty, lack of basic education, corruption and unfair foreign domination in local politics, economy and culture," said Din.
The committee plans to meet with the country's leaders, including the President, National Police chief and representatives from the State Intelligence Agency.