TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Sinta Nuriyah Wahid, a special rapporteur of religious freedom from the Women National Commission and former Indonesian First Lady, has slammed the country for failing to uphold religion freedom.
She recounted on January 15, 2008 the country established the Coordinating Board for Monitoring Mystical Beliefs in Society (Bakorpakem), which was authorized to monitor the existence of religious organizations and sects.
Bakorpakem on April 16, 2008 declared Ahmadiyah as deviant. “There were at least 38 regional policies related to banning the spread of Ahmadiyah teaching in West Java and West Nusa Tenggara from 2001 to 2013,” said Sinta.
Sinta also deplored the government’s policy in handling refugees in religious disputes. “Ahmadiyah and Shia refugees become victims of intolerance,” said Sinta.
She added Ahmadiyah refugees had also been deprived of their rights of freedom of religion, security, decent life, property and living.
Sinta said religious affairs offices as an extension of the government in handling marriage administration also contributed to the growing intolerance in the country. She explained there were minority groups, such as Ahmadis, who experienced difficulties in processing civil documentation.
“They are having a hard time in accessing public services. Many Ahmadiyah groups are asked to declare themselves as Islam before getting married,” she said.
MITRA TARIGAN