The significance of these deadly incidents with their implications on the future life of the nation`s unity and diversity can evidently be seen from the headlines and editorials of Indonesia`s mainstream media.
Such leading and influential daily newspapers as Kompas, Republika, The Jakarta Post, Media Indonesia, and Jakarta Globe put the news about the Temanggung incident that happened on Tuesday as the headlines of their Wednesday issues.
Kompas wrote "State Fails to Protect Its People" in its headline. The Jakarta Post and Jakarta Globe have also released the relatively similar tones of headlines: "Angry Crowds Destroy Three Churches in C.Java" and "Anger at Verdict: Five Years fro Spreading Books Deemed Insulting to Islam. Buildings Ablaze in Protest".
Kompas Daily supported the message of its Wednesday`s headline with an editorial entitled "Tumult in Statehood`s Life".
The deadly attack on Ahmadiyah followers in Umbulan village, Pandeglang district, Banten province, on Sunday, and a sectarian incident in Temanggung district, Central Java, on Tuesday are perceived by Kompas as an evidence of the absence or failure of the state.
"We need to ponder again that the Republic of Indonesia is a country founded based on Pancasila (five principles) in which just and civilized humanity has become one of its main characters. The state`s constitution has even guaranteed the rights of citizens to get safety and freedom to perform their religious and faith activities," the Jakarta-based daily newspaper stated in its editorial.
The Sunday attack on Ahmadiyah followers that claimed three lives and the Temanggung incident in which at least two churches and a Catholic school complex as well as a number of vehicles were destroyed were not the first and second cases.
Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace recorded 75 cases of religious or sectarian violence in Indonesia in 2010.
The Temanggung incident itself was believed by the Central Java provincial police to have been provoked by misleading information disseminated to the public through short message service (SMS) saying that the defendant of religious blasphemy case, Antonius Richmond Bawengan, 50, would have a light punishment by the Tamanggung district court.
In fact, according to Central Java police chief Inspector General Edward Aritonang on Tuesday evening that the court`s panel of judges sentenced Antonius to five years in jail.
In response to these two separate sectarian incidents, Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace has urged the government not to ignore the fact of growing religious intolerance and acts of violence in the country.
The institute`s chairman, Hendardi, said those involved in the acts of sectarian violence need to be brought to court and the state could not be silent to the fact of religious intolerance and acts of violence.
The root causes of these growing acts of sectarian violence were related to the state`s refusal to accept inputs from various elements in the society who disagreed with hardliners` defiance of the law, he said.
The same message has also been echoed by Nahdlatul Ulama (NU)`s central executive board by urging the government to be more serious in protecting the people from all acts of violence and intimidation.
"The state must protect every citizen," NU Chairman KH Said Aqil Siroj said at a meeting with a number of religious leaders at the Islamic organization`s headquarters in Jakarta on Tuesday.
The government had no choice but should improve its capability of protecting the citizens, securing most vulnerable segments of society, and taking serious measures for anticipating repeated violence, he said.
"The government must also take stern actions against all perpetrators in accordance with existing legal procedures," said this NU figure.
Said Aqil Siroj further said he did deplore the police for their sluggish anticipatory measures and responses to violence cases in the society.
"I deplore the police. With all means, capabilities and intelligence units the police have, why they are not aware of what has and will have happened? There is an impression that they let it happen but I hope this is not so," he said.
Amid limited capability of the state with its security apparatuses in securing its people, Said Aqil Siroj called on NU cadres and members to take an active part in encouraging members of society to get rid of any act of violence. "We also ask the people in general not to be easily provoked to take acts of violence," he said.
None of the nation`s stakeholders wants Indonesia to become and have an image of a "weak state". Therefore, the government has no option but to prove its presence to its people. (*)
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Reporter: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
