Apriadi Gunawan and Yemris Fointuna, Medan/Kupang – University students and religious leaders in some regions have called for the spirit of tolerance to be revived among people of different religions, races and ethnicities.
Students took to streets on Friday in response to the woeful social interaction developments triggered by the deadly attack on Ahmadiyah followers in Cikeusik, Banten province, and the rampage against churches in Temanggung, Central Java.
In Medan, North Sumatra, students from the Indonesian Christian Students Movement (GMKI) staged a rally at Bundaran Majestik on Jl. Gatot Subroto on Friday denouncing all forms of violence committed in the name of ethnicity, religion or race.
Protest coordinator Supriadi Purba said Indonesia's highly regarded state ideology of Pancasila and national motto Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (unity in diversity) were essential because of the country's rich diversity.
"But the freedom to adhere to and perform religious practices has been tainted by oppressive acts," he said addressing fellow protesters.
The attack on Ahmadis, who are considered as practicing heretical teachings of Islam, killed three members of the sect on Sunday, while the incidents in Temanggung the following day left several churches damaged and burned.
The frustrated crowd vented their anger at churches due to their dissatisfaction with a court verdict in a case involving blasphemy against Islam.
In some parts of the country, minority Christians are often confronted by protests from local residents opposed to their worshipping practices, which often leads to violence, such as occurred recently in Bekasi, West Java.
Supriadi said that in several cases the government and law apparatus seemingly failed to carrying out their duties. "The perpetrators were not deterred and the victims did not receive justice. That's why cases of intolerance keep recurring."
The GMKI Medan branch demanded that perpetrators of violence be given harsh punishments, Supriadi said, and called on the people not to be easily provoked by acts that potentially threatened tolerance, solidarity and brotherhood among people of different faiths, races and ethnicities.
In Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), hundreds of students and religious leaders staged a rally in front of NTT police headquarters by lighting 1000 candles.
They said they were sending a message of regret over the demise of religious freedom. They read out what they called the NTT Youth Oath to express their demand for a just country with a character that was free from oppression.
"President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has to prove what he has said by ensuring religious freedom and banning anarchic organizations that have been damaging religious tolerance in Indonesia," priest Leo Mali said.
Leo added that the government had let illegal institutions act like the state apparatus, committing violence without legal measures being applied to them.
The rally coincided with the President's four-day visit to the province, which ended on Friday. One of the President's activities in the province was his inauguration of the Gong Perdamaian peace monument in Kupang.
"We hope President SBY will act firmly. The violence was committed in front of the law apparatus, but the state seemed to be incapable of managing them," he said.
The protesters said that the unveiling of the monument, the construction of which was said to cost Rp 1 billion (US$111,111), was based on shallow ideology which made it a waste of money. "The government has just wasted a budget for a meaningless monument," one protester said.