Indonesia, torn off the Unity in Diversity.

Pandeglang, Banten, Indonesia, February 7, 2011. Several groups of unidentified mass came simultaneously with the sole aim to destroy the Indonesian Ahmadiyya Community gathering place in the Umbulan village, Sub Cikeusik. Of the 17 people Ahmadis in the area, carrying three people dead, 5 still missing, while the rest are in the local police office. Ahmadiyya sect, a minority group in Indonesia. They are considered a heretical sect in Islam. Indonesian Council of Ulema issued a fatwa that Ahmadiyya as a heretical sect and outside the Islamic religion and recommended the dissolution of the organization Jemaah Ahmadiyah Indonesia. Violence against Ahmadiyya followers in Indonesia became the norm because it is so often case, starting from 2005 till now.

Temanggung, Central Java, Indonesia on February 8, 2011. Beginning with a trial verdict against the defendant blasphemy case, called Antonius Bawengan. Local court judge sentenced 5 years in prison for Bawengan, which is considered too light by the masses who come to the trial. Several groups of mob attacked the local office of the district court with stones and set fire to police cars guarding the place. The mass then moves toward the center of town and then set fire to two churches, the other threw a church with stones, damaging the teaching and learning facilities in a Christian school. Luckily there were no casualties in the action. Arson, destruction and closure of the church is not uncommon in Indonesia, which started since 1999 until today.

Several time ago, the President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama's visit to Indonesia, a country he had lived for ± 4 years with her mother Mrs. Ann Dunham and his stepfather Lolo Soetoro. Even his sister, Maya Soetoro was born in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia. From the news we get, for a brief visit in Indonesia, together with Mrs. Michelle Obama, the U.S. president visited the Istiqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia which was designed by a local architect Christian, Frederich Silaban. Then Mr. Obama gave a speech in front of academics on the campus of the University of Indonesia. From what was delivered Mr. Obama in Jakarta, as he convey to his first speech in Muslim countries, in Cairo, Egypt, he was making Indonesia as an example of how a country with a majority of Muslims can coexist peacefully with minorities.

Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world, is a country that adheres to the motto of Unity in Diversity, a State which recognizes the existence of religion for its citizens but does not specify an official religion of the State. Prior to 1998, can be said that the sectarian conflict in Indonesia can be muted with nationalistic approach of the New Order, under the control of a soft dictator, General Muhammad Suharto, who ruled Indonesia for more than 32 years. While in the previous period, Sukarno, Indonesia's founding father, gave rise to the term national ideology of Pancasila (Five elements) as the basics of the state of Indonesia.

After the fall of the Soeharto government in 1998 because of massive demonstrations that preceded the student movement. Suharto, who at that time was in Egypt and met Hosni Mubarak, was forced to go home and then announced his retirement. Funnily enough, Hosni Mubarak had just undergone a similar thing. Suharto, like Mubarak, oppressive fundamentalist groups and Islamic extremists. Now, the new Indonesian government seems difficult to control the numerous acts of violence against minorities by hardline groups. The events as occurred in Pandeglang and Temanggung, not the first and likely will not be the last. It seems the motto of Unity in Diversity is getting its biggest challenge.
Hopefully my Indonesian family, always in good condition and can live their faith in safety.

“From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures that are able to give you the wisdom you need for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” (2Timothy 3:15)

Democratization and the impact on minorities

Lately was the political upheaval in the region of North Africa. Tunisia, a country with a mix of Arab traditions and European traditions, which is so beautiful, a country very far from political turmoil, it suddenly occurred Tunisian society movement that asks the decline of the President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who has ruled Tunisia for more than two decades. Jasmine Revolution, thus the title of the Tunisian people's movement, who overthrew President Ben Ali from his post even the president had to flee abroad. Until this very day the protests are still happening on the streets in the city of Tunis, Tunisia's capital, demanding the improvement of political rights and their economic welfare.

As expected, people's revolution in Tunisia spread to other nearby areas. Egypt, ancient country with a world cultural heritage that is so remarkable, is now also being churned. Egyptian society demonstrated in the streets of Cairo, the Egyptian capital, demanding the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled Egypt for three decades. Massive demonstrations that occurred in Tahrir Square in Cairo, spread to other areas such as Alexandria, Suez and Sinai. So far, President Hosni Mubarak was still able to maintain his position.

Something natural that a society who feel the political rights as well as their economies have been oppressed for so many years, and then ask for a significant change to their fate. The changes here are almost always assumed to be a change of regime. Similarly, which took place in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Syria and Jordan.

The concern here is from the five countries with Muslim majorities, the attitude of Christian minorities in each country. Moreover, Egypt has the largest Christian population in the Middle East region. Until now, not yet clear how the people of minorities in Tunisia and Egypt to be about political turmoil in their country. That should be a major concern for minorities in Tunisia and Egypt is who will hold the administration after the dictatorial regime collapsed because the fate of their religious freedom would depend on the new government.

There are several examples of how the democratization of a country is not in line with the implementation of human rights, particularly regarding freedom of religion and freedom to practice their religion. In India, democratic country with a majority Hindu but also has the second largest Muslim population in the world, the situation of minority Christians there are also not so good, especially in rural areas. Many of the Christians in the countryside who are pressured to convert, with the destruction of churches and Christian homes. Similarly, in Indonesia, a country with the world's largest Muslim population, after the fall of the Soeharto regime in 1998 ago, Indonesia proclaimed itself as the most democratic Muslim country in the world. Political rights enjoyed by the people of Indonesia, but not so with the right to freedom of religion.

From 1998 until now has hundreds of churches, especially in western Indonesia, which closed with the reason does not have permission to establish houses of worship of local government. Not to mention the church forcibly shut down by fundamentalist groups. Indonesian police almost never take action against the fundamentalists if attacked churches, unlike the case if they attack the discotheques and entertainment spots. In Indonesia, set up bars, discos and night entertainment spots easier than establishing a house of worship for minorities. Most recently was Iraq, the land of Babylon is also experiencing the same thing. Imposition of democracy by the United States in the region would lead to instability of security. Saddam Hussein with all its ugliness to some extent still providing security for minority Christians in the region, even a Christian such as Tariq Aziz was to be a minister in the government of Saddam. Now after the fall of Saddam Hussein, there is no security for the Christian minority in Iraq, so many of them leave their homeland to a foreign country after direct threats from al-Qaeda in Iraq which will attack the Christians in the entire Middle East region.

From the experience that has been passed by the Christian minority in many countries that run democracy and not always successful in preserving harmony among religious communities, it is worth waiting for developments in Tunisia and Egypt. Is Tunisia and Egypt could become a real democratic state (such as expectations of hypocritical countries: EU and U.S.) or even retreat to the back where intolerance and fundamentalism emerged. In Europe and the U.S. are able to apply for religious freedom in full with proof that Islam, as a minority religion can develop very quickly with no hindrance . The question is can the democracy like in Europe and the U.S. exported to other countries, especially in countries with majority Muslim?

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12, NIV)