Dina Manafe, Jakarta – The number of violations of religious freedom in Indonesia has decreased dramatically in the first half of the year, a watchdog said on Monday, adding however that the drop was due only to a greater focus on elections, instead of sectarian politics.

Ismail Hasani, research director of the Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace, said in a press conference that there had been 60 cases of religious rights violations in the first half of 2014, in 17 provinces, which marks a significant decrease from 122 cases in the first half of 2013 and 120 in the same period in 2012.

West Java was mentioned most often, with 19 cases, followed by Central Java and East Java, with ten cases each. Ismail said that government officials, including police officers, were the main perpetrators in some cases. "There were 30 violations that involved government officials by commission or by omission," Ismail said.

Some of the cases also involved religious groups, he added, such as the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and the Islamic People's Forum (FUI). In most cases, the victims were religious minority groups, like Christians, Shiites and the controversial Muslim sect Ahmadiyah.

Setara said the decrease in the number of reported violations was not the result of better government policy aimed at protecting religious freedom, but because of the legislative and presidential elections held this year.

"There is a sort of convention during this political season under which all respective parties refrain from taking any counterproductive action, so as not to tarnish the political image of [their] candidate," Ismail said about organizations linked to those running in elections.

Bonar Tigor Naipospos, Setara's deputy chairman, said the outgoing administration of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono can still make a difference.

"Even though he has only a limited number of days left [before president-elect Joko Widodo takes over from Yudhoyono in October], [Religious Affairs Minister] Lukman Hakim [Saifuddin] should take constructive steps to ensure his own legacy and that of his ministry," Bonar said, citing the example of the Ahmadiyah community still staying in Mataram, Lombok, under primitive conditions after being driven from their homes elsewhere on the island in 2006.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/greater-religious-freedom-thanks-elections-watchdog-says/